Assassin's Creed: Hellhound
by BloARazberry
Summary: (furry AU) Pufftail lived an average life in Spain. One day, she met a strange hooded man, and in the blink of an eye, her life changed forever. She discovers betrayal, love, and loss. What she doesn't know is that her role in the world is greater than she ever could have imagined. Rated T for some blood and mild adult humor and references.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, everybody! I'm Darou! You can read this in an Australian accent if you want. After all, I'm half kangaroo. Anyway, this is my first fanfiction. It's a furry fanfiction, which means that the characters are anthropomorphic animals. You can look that up if you don't know what it means. This story is a Christmas gift for my friend Jontaea. Just so you know, the main character, Pufftail, belongs to her. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Later on, there will be cameo's of other people's fursonas. These people requested the cameo's, and so I have their permission to use them for a short while in the story. I hope you enjoy!**

**Assassin's Creed does not belong to me. The cameo characters in the story, the owners of which I will acknowledge, do not belong to me.**

Prologue

The colors of my surroundings left me in awe. Autumn has only the most beautiful sights to offer, I thought as I walked along my favorite woodland path. Just beyond the trees I could hear the usual hustle of the town. I despised that town. Of course, the streets were quite clean and the townspeople were friendly, but as a wolf, the wilderness was my true home.

It seemed rather strange that there weren't any birds or squirrels about. The only other creature I'd met on the trail that day had been Fenwick the messenger, and the hare was much too busy to stop and chat. He was always busy, it seemed.

I stiffened when I heard something above me. Just then, a figure leapt from the tree above and landed on the ground ahead as nimbly as a cat. The figure stood, then turned in my direction when I gasped. It was a dog, probably some sort of German Shepherd mix. His fur appeared to be dark brown underneath the robes he wore, which were black with red trimming. A hood hid his face, only allowing me to see his nose down, yet somehow I felt him watching me. He sniffed in my direction, then, uninterested, continued on in the opposite direction with a swish of his bushy tail.

I was about to call out to him when someone jumped from the bushes behind me and put his paw over my mouth. My nose cringed. He smelled like a cat.

"Mmmmffff!" I quickly began struggling and kicking until my captor put a knife to my throat.

"Stay silent if you value your life!" He hissed.

Yup. Definitely a cat.

Hearing the commotion, the strange dog I'd seen immediately ran toward me and tackled the cat to the ground with a wild snarl.

"Stand down, Templar!" He said with a voice like thunder.

"I will once you are dead," the supposed Templar(whatever that was) replied with a toothy grin as he stood.

"RAAAAAGH!" The dog unsheathed his sword and lunged at the fiend, who, in a flash, countered the attack with his own blade. I gulped. I don't like where this is going.

Chapter 1

They both took their stances and proceeded to fight. The cat and dog were both excellently trained, and neither could get past the other's counter. The cat, though, was smaller and quicker, and eventually he broke the Assassin's defense and managed to stab him in the abdomen with the flick of his wrist.

With a heart-wrenching yelp, the dog collapsed, clutching his stomach as he convulsed in pain. The Templar, that evil smile returning, raised his sword, preparing to finish the job. I had been told before that cats are some of the most vile creatures on the planet, and I now I believe it.

"NO!" I screamed.

The cat paused and glanced in my direction, his whiskers twitching. Thinking quickly, I grabbed a rock the size of my palm and hurled it as hard as I could. I wasn't the best aim, so I was astonished when it hit the Templar smack in the forehead. He yowled and tumbled before he took off running, crashing into a tree when the impact had messed up his vision. If only there were time for a victory dance.

Running as fast as my legs could carry me, I made my way towards the fallen warrior and knelt at his side. I took off my scarf-sadly, my favorite-and tried to cover his wound. There was more blood than I could handle, and I averted my eyes before breakfast could make a second appearance. The iron-like smell only made it worse, and it was all I could do not to gag.

"Are you alright?" I asked, trying not to let my voice break as I was holding back tears. I wasn't used to violence, and I've never been in a situation this...terrifying.

"I'm f-fine." He groaned.

"No, I need to get you to a doctor!"

"I don't need your help," he grumbled as he tried to stand, but his legs gave out as he weakened. "...Perhaps you could get me to the Den?"

"Yes, of course!" I helped him to his feet. "Where is it?"

He pointed. "It's the building with the smoke signal tower."

I nodded and hurriedly led him in the direction of the tower. "I'm so sorry this happened to you."

He shook his head. "It's an occupational hazard."

When we arrived at this 'Den,' or whatever it was called, we were approached by a massively built rottweiler in dark red robes. I swallowed my fear and walked up to the ferocious-looking canine.

"What in God's name happened here?!" he bellowed.

"He was stabbed!" I cried.

The bulky canine's eyes darkened. "Templars."

I nodded. He turned from me and yelled, "get him to the infirmary! Immediately!"

Several other dogs, wearing similar attire to the first's, came to meet us. They rushed to the German Shepherd's side and took him to the infirmary. As they disappeared behind the enormous wooden doors, the rottweiler turned to me, his dark brown eyes reminding me of another's.

"Tell me, citizen, what did this Templar look like? Did you get a name? Anything?"

"I think he was a British shorthair...perhaps a tabby? I just remember he had grey fur and a bad attitude," I said, muttering the last part to myself.

"Hm...the breed of cat is very general. There could be thousands of British shorthairs." He sighed. "A technicality we shall look into later on. In the meantime, I suggest you stay somewhere nearby the Den. The Templars know your scent, and they will be tracking it."

I gulped. Was he actually serious? What would those...those felines want with me?

Just as I was about to reply, a tall doberman pinscher walked-more like strutted-to where we were standing and posed, flipping his head in my direction flirtatiously and spoke in a thick German accent.

"Why not just stay here with us, hm?" He turned around slightly, as if showing off his backside. I think I'm gonna throw up.

"Uh...sure, I don't really have anywhere else to"-

"Lovely!" He grabbed my paw and practically dragged me into the building. "There is plenty room on second floor. Of course, I do not mind if you stay in Assassin's quarters, no?" He winked.

"Shut up, Riley," the rottweiler snapped before turning to me. "Sorry about him. He can be a real"-

"Opal will be right up with something to change into," Riley said as he left.

"Thanks...I guess?"

I briskly walked toward a vacant room.

"Many thanks for assisting our brother," the rottweiler said. "I am surprised he let you help him. Rosco tends to be quite bull-headed."

I chuckled. "He barely let me help him at all."

"Not surprising. My name is Vaughn, by the way."

I offered a hand to shake. "Pufftail."

**Well, there you have it. The prologue and first chapter of my first-ever fanfiction! Please leave some advice or comments! I appreciate constructive criticism, but please be kind. If you are an anti-furry, which would be weird, since there's no point for you to be here, please don't comment unless you have something nice to say. I will do my best to be kind and respectful, and my only request is that you do the same. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! As you can see, things didn't go so well with Pufftail and getting into a fight and whatnot. I also forgot to mention that this story is based off of an RP I did with Jontaea just for fun. I noticed it started developing its own plot and stuff, and so I asked if I could change it up a little and make it into a fanfiction, and she said yes. She hasn't been online for a long time, but hopefully she'll be back soon! :)**

**Assassin's Creed and Pufftail do not belong to me. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or the characters within it without my permission. Enjoy!**

Chapter 2

While I waited for Opal, I explored every nook and cranny of my new room, trying to get accustomed to it. I found a cabinet with a few books in it, all of them as thick as textbooks. Odd, I suppose the last occupant left them there?

Curious, I pulled one book out, its leather exterior close to crumbling in my hands. Blowing the layers of dust off, I found the cover to be plain. No name, nothing.

Carefully, I opened it, fearing that it would tear, as it felt so ancient and brittle. The first page looked to be a journal entry. Hoping whoever had written it wouldn't mind too much, I began to read:

'Day One:

The other day my Mentor told me to keep a journal. I don't see why, but I guess I might as well. This is my first day as a member of the Brotherhood. I've been told by some that I'm one of the youngest to join. I'm so nervous and excited at the same time. Those stupid Templars don't stand a chance! I met a very beautiful Pharaoh Hound today. I didn't catch her name, but she is quite a charmer. Is it wrong for an Assassin to fancy their Mentor? I don't know for sure, but I plan to keep it a secret, just in case. My first mission is next month, somewhere in Germany. My excitement is overwhelming!

-Master Assassin Ray Lormac''

I flipped through some more pages until I found one with a sketch on it. It was quite an excellent drawing, depicting a ship sailing through stormy waters. Across one side of the vessel, there was a name.

"The Forrigan," I read aloud wondrously.

I quickly shut the journal and returned it to the cabinet when I heard someone knock.

"Come in!" I called. The door opened, revealing a young golden retriever holding a folded Assassin's robe.

"Hey there!" She said cheerfully. "I'm Opal."

"I'm Pufftail, but you can call me Tails."

She giggled. "'Tails.' I like it."

I smiled as she handed me the robes.

"Here ya go. If you're gonna blend with us, you'll have to wear these. They're quite comfortable."

"Thank you."

She turned to leave, but paused."Do you mind me fixing your hair? You don't want it getting caught in your hood, trust me."

I nodded. "Sure. That's very nice of you."

I pulled out a chair and sat down while she grabbed a comb.

"So, you're a wolf, huh? Must be pretty fun to be free out in the woods. No fences, no worries, nothing."

"Sometimes, yeah."

She seemed to catch the tone in my voice and changed the subject.

"We don't have too many wolves in the Brotherhood, which is pretty disappointing. I hear they're excellent trackers and hunters. Of course, they usually prefer not to join, since it could mean leaving their pack behind."

"That's too bad. I think it would be pretty cool to be an Assassin."

"You think so?"

"Sure. I don't really have anything to go back to, and I could finally serve a purpose to my people."

"Yes, it's a very honorable choice indeed. It is quite perilous, but it's worth it."

She finished and stepped back. "Very nice." Opal tool out a handheld mirror and offered it to me. "What do you think?"

"Great, thanks!" I paused for a moment, and the look on my face must have caught her attention.

"Is something wrong?"

"Do you think...never mind. It's silly."

"It's alright. You can tell me, Tails."

I sighed. "Do...Do you think I could join the Brotherhood?"

She practically did a summersault. "Why you most certainly can! It would be great to have you with us!" She hugged me, her excitement on overload.

"So, what exactly do I do to become a member?" I asked once she calmed down.

"I'll break it to ya, it's not gonna be easy."

"I think I can take a challenge."

Opal looked a bit unsure. "Well, you'll need to do a lot of training. Perhaps I could teach you some of the basics?"

"Could you please?"

"Hmmm...I don't see why not. Maybe we can do some training tomorrow."

"Great!" I said almost too loudly. "I can't wait to get started!"

**Yay! It's done! Well, leave a review/PM, tell me how you liked it! Is there something you like? Something you do like? A little bit of both? Let me know!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alrighty, third chapter! You're probably wondering why I'm updating this so fast. That's because a lot of this story is already written, I'm just posting it here now. Better than waiting weeks or months or even years, isn't it?! Anyway, enjoy!**

Chapter 3

That morning, I awoke to a voice downstairs yelling, "BREAKFAST!"

Realizing I must have slept in, I quickly threw on the robes Opal had given me and rocketed down the stairs to find that almost everyone was already awake, all sitting at a long table eating something that smelled amazing. Great, my first day in an Assassin's Den, and I'm already falling behind. Hoping no one would notice me-I was plenty embarrassed already-I sat down in an empty chair across from Opal. She looked up at me and grinned.

"So, how'd ya sleep?"

"Pretty well," I replied.

"Well, I can see that," she said cheerfully.

"How long did I sleep in?"

"Oh, about five minutes."

I looked at her, surprised. "Just five minutes?"

"Yup," she said around a spoonful of stew.

"But everyone's here already. You'd think everyone in the upper floors would be running a little late."

Opal almost choked on her food as she laughed. "Oh, we rarely use the stairs, hon."

"Hm."

Soon a cat walked up to me and set a bowl of soup on the table.

"Eat it while it's hot, kid," he said to me, and I tried not to cringe.

I was still a little jumpy from yesterday's encounter, and seeing another cat made me a little nervous. Unaware of my thoughts, the feline turned and walked away, whistling a shanty that was unfamiliar to me. Reluctantly, I spooned the soup into my mouth, expecting it to taste more like cat hair than anything else. Don't ask how I know what cat hair tastes like. It's not a good story.

To my surprise, the soup was delicious. There was a mix of spice and sweetness to it that I've never tasted before. I wanted to toss aside the spoon and slurp it greedily, but I had been taught to be ladylike. I didn't want any bad first impressions, especially in front of these particular people. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the dog from yesterday limp over to a chair and sit down. He looked very tired, with bloodied gauze wrapped around his bare torso. I tried my best not to stare at the brown, furry Hulk. Ladylike, remember?

"Hey, Rosco, are you feeling any better?" Vaughn asked as he walked up to him.

The dog I now knew as Rosco shrugged.

"Well, I'm still alive, so I guess you could say I'm doing alright."

Vaughn sighed. "Why did I even ask?"

I wonder if I should thank him, I thought to myself.

"Hey kiddo, you might want to hurry," Opal interrupted my mental babble, "Your training will start soon."

My eyes widened. "Oh, crap!"

She laughed as I wolfed down my meal.

"Come on, it's down here," she waved her hand, urging me to follow. The golden retriever led me to a two or three-story room with tall pillars and structures everywhere. I couldn't help but notice the awful smell, which was that of sweat, hay, and dog.

"This is the parkour area," Opal explained. "It's where we train beginners to climb and jump and stuff. It's a lot cooler than it sounds."

"I'll take your word on that," I said.

"Good. You'll need to trust your trainer, especially when you're going to do a lot of falling."

I stared at her, horrified. "F-falling?"

"Yup!"

I gulped.

"Just watch and learn." With that, she sped past me and made her way to the top of one of the pillars. "Come on!"

Without much experience in climbing, I found it rather difficult as I tried to scale the pillar. As if my luck couldn't get any worse, the pillar's sides didn't have many footholds. It amazed me how quickly Opal had clambered up to the top. I eventually made it about halfway up, and looked down to check my progress.

Bad idea. It wasn't all that high, although from where I was, the distance between me and the ground made me feel dizzy. With a yelp of fright, I tightened my grip, the pads on my paws aching from the rough granite.

"Is everything alright?" Opal called down.

"Yeah," I panted nervously, "just a...fear of heights...is all…."

"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it. No pun intended." She chuckled.

I quickly looked upwards, ignoring the terror that made my heart race, and resumed my slow ascent. By the time I made it to the top, I could barely catch my breath.

"Good job!" she exclaimed, slapping me on the back and quickly catching me before I fell over. "Sorry about that."

"I-it's fine," I replied, hardly able to speak.

"Well, are you ready?"

I gave her a weird look. "For what? You mean there's more we have to do?"

"Did you think that was all the training we were going to do today?" She laughed. "I wish!"

Opal turned and began leaping from pillar to pillar.

Oh, God, no, I thought to myself. She has got to be kidding.

**Thanks for reading! Don't forget to let me know what you thought of the story!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! As you can see, Pufftail is now an Assassin Apprentice! And if you have been wondering exactly what the characters look like, Pufftail is a light blue wolf with a brown tail and long, brown hair. Rosco is kind of hard to describe...I'll just post a link of a drawing of him in my bio. Hopefully, you guys like the story so far! Go ahead and read and let me know what you think!**

**Assassin's Creed and Pufftail do not belong to me. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my permission. Enjoy!**

Chapter 4

I stood there, terrified. The next pillar looked too far away for me to jump to it, and being thirty feet in the air didn't help very much.

"Don't worry, we have safety netting," called Opal, as if she'd read my mind. "It's hard to see from up here, but it's there."

Safety netting or not, I couldn't jump that far. I sighed. My first day of training, and I'm already whimping out. How could I possibly prove myself to these people if I let my fears get the best of me? I had to do it. I just had to. Ignoring the voice that told me to turn and run and never come back, I stepped back as far as I could, then ran and leapt into open air. So many terrifying thoughts went through my head as I did so. What if I didn't make it? Will she laugh at me? Will she think I'm a failure? What would the others think?

The next pillar was getting closer. Not knowing what to do next, I threw out my arms and managed to grab a hold of the edge. Using the claws on my bare feet, I clambered up and stood, my legs wobbling and my whiskers trembling. Part of me wanted to shout in victory, the other wanted to quit and be done with it. Instead, I did nothing.

"Great job, Tails!" Opal exclaimed a few pillars down. "Keep going! Try using your tail for balance!"

I did as told, and even though I ended up swerving in the wrong direction and bouncing off the safety net, I still felt gratitude for how well I've done so far. After several days, I could scale walls and leap great distances like a pro. Well, that's kind of exaggerating, but I'm sure you get the point.

"Alright, now comes the tricky part," Opal began.

Both of us were standing on different pillars, a large haystack thirty feet beneath where I stood. That nervous twitch of my whiskers had returned, the blue fur on the back of my neck standing straight up.

"This is probably one of our most dangerously incredible feats; the Leap of Faith."

I shifted my weight anxiously. "W-what do I do first?"

"Have you ever gone diving before?"

"Well , yeah, but it's been years."

She shrugged. "Don't worry, you'll figure it out soon enough. Just keep your back straight and arms out. Before you reach the bottom, flip onto your back to soften the blow a little more."

"Uh...okay, then."

How hard could it be? I thought to myself. I remembered diving at the lake. We didn't dive much, though, since the place got more and more filthy. I think it was at the lake that I first saw an Assassin-focus, Pufftail! I mentally slapped myself.

"It's fine, take your time to think it through," said Opal, interrupting my mental babble.

"Oh, uh, sorry."

I shut off my conscience, allowing myself to think more clearly. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes, and pushed off the edge of the pillar. It only lasted a few seconds, yet it felt like hours. I opened my eyes, not wanting to miss anything as I plummeted. To my surprise, it wasn't at all frightening. I was too astounded to be scared. I threw my arms out to the side, and it felt like I was flying. The wind pushed my hair back and billowed out my robes, and it felt amazing. The ground was quickly coming up to me, and I did as instructed and flipped onto my back, the sudden movement making me a tad dizzy as the ceiling engulfed my sight.

The hay enveloped me as I landed, the wind being knocked out of me. I waited to get my bearings back, then hopped out of the haystack to find Opal barreling towards me. Before I could realize what was happening she wrapped me in a huge embrace.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so proud of you!" she cried, finally letting go of me so I could breathe. "I swear, I've never seen anyone get it on the first try! What was it like?"

"It was...amazing!"

She smiled and laughed. "See? It's not all that bad once you get used to it." She put her hands on her hips and sighed. "Man, I could use a drink. I think we're done for the day. Tomorrow I'll show you how to carry a sword."

I chuckled. "Won't that be interesting?"

We both laughed as we left the parkour area. For the first time that I could remember, I felt happy. I felt like I belonged.

**Well, that's it for now. Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review/PM and tell me what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! Last time, Pufftail managed to do her first Leap of Faith. Dang, she sure is improving. Also, my friend Bunsif is working on a new fanfiction called 'Flux.' I believe it's a furry fiction about Infamous Second Son. I don't think she's posting it on , though, but on Google+. You can check her out, her username there is Cap'n Bunsif. Don't forget to favorite/follow her and her stories! She's an awesome writer!**

**Assassin's Creed and Pufftail do not belong to me. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my/Jontaea's permission. (as in you'll need permission from both) Enjoy!**

Chapter 5

For the next few weeks, I continued reading through the journal that I had found in my room when I first arrived at the Den. Over time, the entries started reflecting darker and darker thoughts of their writer. I was actually beginning to fear this character. He had gone from an innocent, lovable creature to a heartless, depressed one. Soon, though, I didn't have much time to do anything other than training. Opal introduced me to a few other Assassins, and I began training with them as well. Some of them I enjoyed learning with. Others...not so much.

"No, no, no, you're doing it wrong!" Clyde the dachshund shouted for the hundredth time.

I sighed. All this shortstack ever did was yell at people. He had a serious case of little man syndrome, I'm sure of it. Honestly, is he always angry about something?

He growled with exasperation as he smacked his forehead. "Does anyone truly appreciate swordfighting? No! Of course not! Only a true Assassin would understand such an art! You are all a disgrace!"

I rolled my eyes. "Clyde."

"Everyone is so foolish! They think they can just walk in here and become a legend with the flick of a wrist!"

"Clyde."

"How dare you call yourselves warriors? You have not such a privilege!"

"CLYDE!"

He turned to me with fire in his eyes. "What?!"

"They left."

He paused, then turned around. Earlier, there had been an entire crowd of civilians and Assassins watching us in the courtyard, although, as per usual, Clyde's constant screaming and ranting had bored them. They instead went off to find something better to do with their time.

"Way to go, Clyde," said Rosco as he leapt over the fence and jogged over to us, his honey-golden eyes bright with amusement.

He snatched the sword from the dachshund's paws. "I'll take it from here, Banshee."

Clyde sneered, then stormed off to the stables.

"What is that guy's problem?" I asked.

Rosco sighed and shook his furry head. "No one knows." He raised his blade. "Ready?"

I nodded and took my stance.

For the rest of the afternoon, we fenced in the courtyard, Rosco proving to be a lot more experienced in swordfighting, although I was excellent at dodging. Both of us eventually tired as the sun began to set, and we decided to call it a day.

"Hey, Rosco, uh...there's something I wanted to ask you," I began awkwardly as we made our way to the shed where we kept our training weapons.

"Yes?"

I waited a moment to think of what to say. "A while ago, I found this journal in my room. I might have read some of it..."

He gave me a weird look. "You mean you actually read someone else's diary?"

"Yeah, but"-

"Pufftail, you were actually going through another person's private belongings?!"

"They just left it there. It wasn't hidden or anything. And it's really old. I don't even know if the writer is still around."

"That doesn't change anything." He paused, then said more quietly, "Who wrote it?"

"I don't remember exactly...I think it was Ray Lormac or something like that."

Rosco stopped mid stride and stared at me in awe. "Raymond Lormac?!"

"Uh...yeah, I think that was it. Why? Do you know"-

He suddenly grabbed me by the arm and dragged me behind the shed, out of earshot of any nearby guards.

He leaned down and, his ears held back angrily, snarled, "How dare you say that name?!"

"I'm sorry, I-I didn't know it was a profanity or whatever."

He glared. "Do you even know who you're talking about?! Ray Lormac is the reason why there aren't any cats in the Brotherhood!" He practically yelled, making some of the guards turn in our direction.

I backed up slightly, frightened by his sudden rage.

"He was the betrayer!" Rosco bellowed. "He was the Rogue Assassin!"

**Uh-oh. This doesn't look good. Well, let's hope and see what happens in the next chapter! Oh, and thanks for reading. Those of you who came this far, you are AWESOME! Don't forget to leave a review/PM and tell me what you think! See ya!**

**-Darou**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! Last time, Pufftail unwittingly came upon the property of the evil rogue Assassin! And if you're wondering why only dogs can be Assassins and only cats can be Templars, read on! It'll surprise ya! And thanks to those of you who have read this far. Hopefully, you're enjoying reading it as much as I'm enjoying writing it!**

**Assassin's Creed and Pufftail do not belong to me. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please ask for my/Jontaea's permission before using this story or the characters in it(as in, you'll need permission from both of us). Enjoy!**

Chapter 6

I stared at Rosco, wide-eyed. "W-what do you mean?"

"I told you!" He snarled.

"I don't understand."

He sighed. "Thirty years ago, a cat named Raymond Lormac joined the Brotherhood. From the beginning, they knew there was something different about him. He questioned orders and disobeyed the Creed, mowing down innocent civilians like they were nothing."

"That's horrible," I said softly.

Rosco nodded. "Indeed. He was not worthy to be among us, yet the Mentor believed that Raymond simply needed guidance, and sent him on a mission to retrieve a Piece of Eden. That was his greatest mistake yet."

My whiskers trembled anxiously.

"They expected him to return with the Piece, the Mentor hoping to prove Raymond was disciplined. But he never returned. The Brotherhood began hunting him down desperately. That was when he started hunting us. He was no Assassin. He was a murderer and a monster. Cats cannot be trusted. They are not like us; they lie and cheat and steal. They are selfish and cruel, and so after Raymond was considered no longer one of us, they cleansed the Brotherhood of felines like demons in a church."

"But all those other cats were innocent!" I cried. "They did nothing wrong!"

"The Brotherhood does not take chances," Rosco growled. "We know Raymond is still out there, looking for a way to bring the Assassins to their knees."

"Shouldn't they send someone after him?" I asked.

"They already have." He looked down at me, a solemn look on his face. "It did not end without blood."

The next morning I sat alone, eating silently. Our discussion the night before had left me on edge, and my sleep was poisoned with nightmares of cats with yellow eyes and jagged teeth. It was the first day that did not begin and end with constant training. Last night had been the first snowfall of winter, and the Assassins enjoyed it while they could, leaping and romping through the drifts like they were pups all over again. Tossing my weariness to the side, I joined Opal and some others in a rather violent snowball fight.

It was simply one of those rare days when I felt happier than ever among my brothers. For a few hours, I forgot my fears and worries and enjoyed myself. My face hurt from smiling and the cold and my lungs stung from laughing so much, but it was worth it. When it got dark, everyone returned inside the Den where all of the hearths were lit. We ate and laughed and slept until dawn.

I awoke with sore muscles, aching from goofing around all day in the snow. For the rest of the winter, I trained to camouflage myself in any surrounding. Snow, of course, was difficult. The robes I wore(the same I had received when I'd first arrived) were dark blue like my fur, making it nearly impossible to hide. Opal had told me that once I attended the initiation and was officially an Assassin, I could have my own custom-made robes. Already I began brainstorming. It would be years before the initiation, but that didn't stop me.

That evening, when mostly everyone else was sleeping, I went back into the cupboard and pulled out a different book, flipped to a blank page, and started sketching. I wanted them to be elegant, yet also make me invisible and intimidating. For a few minutes I just sat there, staring at the page, not knowing where to start. I didn't have very much free time these days, and so I rarely was able to work on my art skills. Finally, I thought of something. Soon I was feverishly scribbling with the pen, ignoring any mistakes I made. It took hours, but by the time the first rays of sunlight showed, I had finished and was proud of my work. The colors I'd chosen were gray, brown, and dark green, perfect for hiding in a tree or grassy field or among villagers.

With a smile on my face, I shut the book, tossed it back into the cabinet, and went back to bed, but I couldn't sleep. If only the initiation would start sooner.

**Thanks for reading, guys! Don't forget to leave a review/PM and let me know what you think of the story so far!**

**-Darou**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! Now that Pufftail is preparing to become a true Assassin, the excitement is building up! But that doesn't mean that our story is close to being done. There's still a ways to go! I know this is a rather boring chapter, but we need characterization! Besides, it's going to get better. Trust me!**

**Assassin's Creed and Pufftail do not belong to me. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my/Jontaea's permission.**

Chapter 7

Eventually, my excitement began to wither, simply because I have the patience of a gnat. Don't get me wrong, I was still hyped for the coronation in which I would truly become a member of the Brotherhood, but I also dreaded it. What would it be like? What would they do? Was it drastic? For the next three years, more and more questions came in my mind. I never really asked anyone, though, due to the fear of what the answer might be. One of my greatest fears in joining the Brotherhood was, well...you know what an Assassin does, right? Yeah, that.

I was in my room studying when Opal slammed the door open and ran inside, making me jump three feet into the air.

"Opal!" I cried. "What are you doing here? I thought you were on a mission."

"Did you hear the news?!" She said excitedly.

"Uh...what news?"

She dug through her cargo bag and pulled out an envelope and tossed it to me.

"Read it! Hurry!"

"Alright, alright, sheesh!" I opened the letter, finding the seal was already broken. I gave her a look. She blushed.

"Sorry, I might have already read it…."

I sighed as I read it. "It just says"-

I paused. Did I read that wrong? Did it say what I thought it said? I read it again, just in case. My jaw dropped. "I...I don't believe it," I breathed.

"Congratulations!" Opal practically screamed in my ear as she hugged me tightly. I'm sure I heard something snap.

"Wait...the initiation is in a few weeks."

"Sure is!"

"The ship leaves in two days."

"Uh-uh."

I gave her a look. "I don't have much time to get ready."

"Ye"- she stopped mid-sentence, her eyes wide. "Crap! I have to help you pack!" Immediately, she started pulling out clothes and weapons and shoved them into a bag she found in the closet.

"Opal."

She stopped. "What?"

"I think those weapons are yours."

She looked down. "No, they're-oh, yeah, they are. Sorry." Opal started tossing everything out of the bag and onto the floor.

"Opal, it's fine," I said, trying my best to stay calm as I took the bag from her. "I can take care of it."

She frowned. "Oh, um...okay, then."

"Thanks for offering, though."

She nodded and left. I hope I didn't offend her. Remembering that I was on a tight schedule, I quickly went to packing, refolding the clothes that were scattered on the floor. Apparently, the ship that would be taking me to wherever the heck this initiation was was going to leave the morning after tomorrow. I couldn't bear being late. Imagine how embarrassing that would be.

The next day, I finished packing and headed downstairs for dinner. Thomas, the cook who happened to be a cat, walked up to me.

"I heard you are on your way to the coronation," he said in a French accent.

I nodded. I wasn't as nervous around him as I used to be. Indeed, he was more like a dog than a feline.

"Good luck, then."

I smiled. "Thanks."

He turned away as I walked over to where Opal and a few others sat.

"I heard about the initiation," Riley said as I sat down. Oh, great. I hope this won't go on all day.

"Yeah," I muttered.

He leaned forward. My nose cringed. He stunk. "A quick tip-when they get the clamps, close your eyes so you don't see it coming."

"Oh, shut up, Riley!" snapped Ty, a friendly Australian shepherd. "Don't listen to him, Pufftail. It doesn't hurt that much."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He briskly pulled off a glove and showed me his ring finger-at least, I think it was; we only have four fingers. It looked like he wore a thin black ring. I took a closer look, and-to my horror-it was actually a burn mark that went all around his finger, the fur completely singed. I gulped.

"Yeah, it only lasts a second," added Robin, a young labrador.

"I sure hope so," I murmured.

**Oh, dear. Looks like Pufftail is going to be pretty nervous for this initiation! And I believe that next chapter, we'll be getting some cameos! Thanks for reading. Don't forget to leave a review/PM and tell me what you think!**

**-Darou**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! Hopefully you're still reading this story, and if you are, then you all get big Assassin hugs. :) I've been working a bit more on this story lately, and now we're getting some cameo requests. You probably don't know what I mean by that. If you'd like a cameo in this story, let me know! I'll either make an Assassin version of your fursona, or a furry version of your Assassin's Creed OC. Let me know if you want a cameo in the review. I need a description of the appearance, a bio, and an optional preference of where you want your character in the story. I won't be able to take any newer requests until I get to chapter 27(I already have it all written out), but you can just let me know ahead of time. Enjoy!**

**I do not own Assassin's Creed(although they could probably use some help). The only things I own in this story are my OC's and the story. I do not own any of the cameo characters. They belong to their rightful owners. I do not own Pufftail, she belongs to my friend Jontaea. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me.**

**Cameo's in this story:**

**Furor-Furor Fox**

Chapter 8

I watched as the line of passengers and crew members boarded the ship. Some Master Assassins were joining us for the trip to Rome for our initiation, probably in case something went wrong. I had been told about the Tyrrhenian Sea being infested by pirates and Templar ships. Or perhaps they thought us children who needed babysitters?

Good call on their part.

I made my way past the crowd towards the ship. The captain came to greet us, and I was surprised to see that he was a fox. And not just any fox, but a green one. The fur on his back and ears that was usually red was the color of a spring leaf.

"My name is Furor," he announced. "Welcome aboard my ship. Now, before we do anything, I have some rules I should lay down."

Immediately, all of the passengers groaned.

"Stop that! I don't care what you have to say, as long as you do what I tell you! There will be no screaming, barking, howling, belching, singing, or cock-a-doodle-doo's without my consent! You will not go overboard, harass the crew members, yell out false alarms, climb the masts, or make obscene gestures to other ships at any time. Do you understand?"

The others around me murmured their agreement as the crewmembers went to work pulling up the anchor and opening the sails. Soon we were off on our way, steering around other coming and going ships as we left.

I leaned over the edge, watching as the docks as well as Spain slowly shrunk until it was endless blue sky and waters for as long as I could see. It was a beautiful setting, with the warm wind and an occasional splash of salty water in my face.

Some other ships passed by, every now and then their passengers waving and calling out to us. Everyone aboard our ship went to return the gesture, although the captain was quick to shut them up.

"Jeez, that guy is so overbearing," said a beagle as she walked up next to me. "I thought everyone yelled and sang shanties on ships."

I laughed. "Sometimes, yeah. Still, these waters are infested with Templars and such. Loud sounds like that would probably draw their attention to us."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I still want to punch someone, though."

She was probably trying to be funny, although I scooted over to the side a little, just as a precaution.

After some time she turned to me. "The name's Grace, by the way."

I smiled. "Pufftail."

"Huh. I think I've heard that name before." She paused. "Are you related to Tayler? Tayler Shay?"

"No, I don't know who that is."

"Hm. Oh, well. I guess I was thinking of someone else."

I shrugged. I wasn't too good at small talk. "So...which Den are you from?"

"Northern France. You?"

"Eastern Spain."

Grace chuckled.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. I heard a rumor that the Assassin Dens in Spain are hiring cats in their staff. They're probably just walking into a trap set by the Templars."

I gasped. "What do you mean?!"

She gave me a look. "You do know why there are no cats in the Brotherhood, right?"

"Yeah. I heard the story about Raymond Lormac."

Suddenly all of the chatter on the deck stopped. I turned, confused, to see everyone staring at us with their jaws agape.

"...What?" I snapped.

Just then Captain Furor stormed up to me. "How dare you say that name?!" He hissed.

Oh, crud.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean"-

"Don't you EVER say that name on this ship again!" He turned to the crew members who still watched us. "Get back to work, dogs!"

Grace sighed as I looked away. "Look, I didn't mean to offend you or anything."

I smiled. "It's fine."

"I was just saying that"-

She stopped mid sentence.

"You were saying what?"

Not looking at me, she roughly grabbed my muzzle and turned my head in the direction she was staring.

"...What is that?" I asked.

"Captain!" One of the crew members yelled.

"I thought I told you not to raise your voice unless it was an emergency!" Furor bellowed.

"But it is!" He pointed out towards the sea. "Look!"

Grumbling angrily to himself, the captain walked to the edge of the ship, shoving us to the side, and looked through his telescope.

His tail drooped.

"Bloody hell," he whispered. Furor whipped around and cried at the top of his lungs, "PIRATES!"

**Uh-oh. Let's hope this next chapter ends well! I hope you guys enjoyed reading this story. Thank you to all my readers, reviewers, followers, and people who favorited me and my stories! Thanks for the encouragement! Also, if you're into Doctor Who, you sould check out my newer story, 'Blood of a Time Lord.' It's not a furry story, although I'm sure you'll like it! Don't forget to leave me a review and tell me what you think! Questions, comments, suggestions, pie recipes, anything!**

**-Darou**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! Hopefully you're enjoying my story so far. I'm going to try to upload new chapters as often as possible, but since I'm writing two stories, I tend to forget. Anyway, let me know if you want a cameo in the story. If you want more details, just read my AN on the previous chapter. I'll see if I can get that posted on my bio some time. Enjoy!**

**I do not own Assassin's Creed or the cameo characters in this story. They belong to their rightful owners. Pufftail does not belong to me, she belongs to my friend Jontaea. I am writing this story with her character with her permission. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use the characters in this story without my permission.**

**Cameos in this chapter:**

**Furor-Furor Fox**

**David-Darksoundsartistthefurryshepherd (I don't know, he changes his name a lot)**

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

By the time he'd said it, the dot on the horizon had transformed into another ship that was quickly headed in our direction. On the top of its mast, there was a black flag waving in the wind.

Immediately everyone was scurrying about, screaming.

"SILENCE!" The captain hollered.

Quickly the crew settled down.

"There is no reason to panic! All that is over there is a row boat of grubby, mangy mutts without any experience in real battle. On this ship is a brigade of Assassins! These fools have no idea who they're dealing with! Like I said, there is no reason to"-

He was cut off when an explosion sounded as the approaching vessel began firing cannons at us.

"...Except that," Furor whimpered.

"Quick! Load the cannons!" Ordered the first mate.

The crew hurriedly began setting up the cannons and took aim.

"FIRE!"

A second explosion, this time from our ship, rang out as the cannon balls blew apart the other vessel's front deck.

We prepared to fire again, although by the time we were ready the pirate's ship was too close for us to shoot them without it affecting our own.

"Climb aboard, lads!" Called out one of the pirates.

We could only watch in horror as the mangy crew started leaping from their deck to ours and unsheathed their swords.

Most of them had many missing teeth and patches of skin where their fur never grew back. It was disgusting.

They moved aside as their captain stalked toward us. He was a golden retriever-German shepherd mix, and to my absolute terror, he wore Assassin's attire.

He chuckled as he stepped between his crew and ours, extending his arms as he paraded himself.

"Evening, sailors. I am Captain David." He gave a small bow. "The pleasure is all yours."

Furor spat at his feet, but David ignored it.

"I suggest ye give up now, sailors. This here vessel is ours!"

"You have not the right to call it your own!" I shouted, quickly closing my muzzle as I did so. The words came out before I could stop myself.

David turned his head towards me slowly, his movements almost reptilian.

"Is that so, lass?" He sneered. "You think you and your measly crew can defeat my own?"

"I know we can!" I continued. "You are nothing against the Brotherhood!"

The men behind me cheered.

"Ah, the Brotherhood," hissed the pirate captain. "I've come across yer kind before. Not a very lively bunch, might I say."

"Yet you boast the robes of the Assassins," said Furor.

David turned to him. "What? These?" He gestured to the robes that slightly resembled Rosco's, except they were red with hints of black. "I found them."

I could tell by the way he grinned that he was lying. My heart went out to whatever poor soul had been tortured by this monster and his men.

The man's smile faded. "Now, I do believe I told you that this vessel is mine." He glared at the crew. "Did I stutter? Get off of my ship!"

"No!" Furor snapped.

The pirate captain turned to him, growled, then struck Furor, knocking him to the ground.

That was when he'd crossed the line.

Indignant, I unsheathed my sword and stood between David and our captain. "You'll die before you can call this ship your own!"

His eyes narrowed. "It's a shame I have to kill you. I could use someone with your skills."

"I would rather not fight," said Furor as he got to his feet.

David grinned. "How 'bout a deal, then. You can keep your rotting lumber of a vessel, in return for a member of your crew."

"I will not let you take one of us prisoner!" Someone shouted.

"I don't want a prisoner. I want an Assassin." He held his arms out toward the group before him. "Won't one of you join us? A life of freedom and riches?"

Grace stepped forward. "I will go."

"No!" I ran to her side. "You can't do this! You can't abandon the Brotherhood!"

"I never abandoned them! They abandoned me! My own parents were taken from me because of their weakness!" She shoved me aside and stood next to David. "I know where I belong. And it's not with the Assassins." Grace turned to the pirate captain. "Let's get out of here."

"As you wish," David smirked, "First Mate."

One of the crew members piped up. "I thought I was First Mate!"

"Not any more. Back on the ship, fleabags!"

The pirate crew returned to their vessel and went on their way.

"Such a shame," sighed our First Mate. "The Brotherhood needs all the help it can get."

"It's not like a pirate to keep their word," growled Furor. "They'll be back. I know it."

**That ended well. So far, anyway. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you think! Comments, questions, suggestions, etc. Thank you!**

**-Darou**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! Sorry, it's been a bit of a while since I've posted new chapters. I have some personal stuff going on right now at home, but I'm sure it'll turn out alright. Hopefully, I might be able to get to the current chapter this month.**

**I do not own Assassin's Creed or Pufftail. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am writing this story with her permission. The cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Do not use this story or the characters in it without my permission. Enjoy!**

**Cameos in this story:**

**Rowen-Rowen Winegar**

Chapter 10

The rest of our journey was quiet. In a few weeks, we eventually reached the docks near Rome. It was a beautiful city, the architecture nothing like what I saw at home. Disappointedly, the language I was the least fluent in, even after all of my studying, was Italian. Here and there I picked up something from a nearby conversation, usually just chat about the weather or politics, et cetera.

The Assassin's Den in Rome was more like a castle. It was huge and heavily decorated with fountains and shrubbery.

I followed the small crowd inside, where the only light came from a few torches and candles. I was surprised our escort didn't get lost in the maze of hallways. If I took a wrong turn, it would probably be a month before I found my way out.

Eventually, we entered a large room. In the center of the stone floor was the symbol of the Brotherhood, which I haven't seen a lot of lately. Above was a balcony, where four hooded Master Assassins sat on their excessively ornamented chairs.

"We are here for the initiation," said our escort.

One of the Masters nodded. "Come forward," he said in a monotone.

Two others and I stepped up to the center of the room.

"State your names."

One of the three of us walked towards them. "I am Raymond."

"I am Vincent."

"I-I am Pufftail," I stammered nervously.

The Assassins' stare was reproachful, even with their hoods up.

One of the Masters began to recite the Creed. "Where men blindly follow the truth, always remember…"

"...nothing is true," we said in unison.

"Where others are restrained by law, always remember…"

"...everything is permitted."

A red phoenix approached us, grabbing a pair of tongs from a nearby hearth. He walked to each of us, and to my horror, branded their ring fingers. I remembered what Riley had said, and when the phoenix came up to me, I closed my eyes as the searing pain came and went. Ty was right, it only lasted a second. But it still hurt. I looked down at my finger to see that there was now a ring of black fur around it. The stench of burnt fur filled the room.

Everyone present spoke at once, "We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins."

The phoenix then passed each of us a pair of leather bracers, all of them the perfect size. I put mine on and pulled my wrist back. The blade shot out, a blur of silver.

"Welcome to the Brotherhood," the Masters said in unison. Did no one else see that as creepy?

/ / / / /

The docks weren't as crowded as they had been before, much to my relief. It took forever to get off the ship when there were villagers and crewmembers meandering about. Just as I started to the boat, I heard someone yelling.

"Pufftail! Wait!"

I turned to see the phoenix running up to me. He stopped and bent over slightly, panting heavily.

"You...forgot...this…." He handed me a set of robes.

Curious, I unfolded it and was surprised to see it was the same design I had sketched nearly three years ago. It was even more gorgeous than I'd expected, the colors blending together perfectly.

"Oh, my goodness!" I smiled "Thank you, Mr…-?"

"Winegar," he replied as he stood. "Rowen Winegar."

I nodded. "Well, thank you very much. I don't know what I'd do without my robes."

He chuckled and turned away. "Good luck, by the way," he called over his shoulder.

/ / / / /

The trip back home wasn't much different than the last. Thankfully, there were no pirates around, although I could sense the tension among the crew. I looked at my ring finger again. I couldn't help it. It was a reminder, a symbol. I was actually a Master Assassin. If only my parents were here to see this.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! Well, I managed to forget to put a AN at the bottom of the last chapter, but I guess that's okay. It's not really important. Anyway, just to say random stuff, I say Avengers 2 yesterday, and it was AWESOME. Hulk is just the coolest. No questions asked.**

**I do not own Assassin's Creed or Pufftail. Pufftail belongs to Jontaea, and I am writing this story with her permission. The cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Do not use this story or the characters in it without my permission. Enjoy!**

Chapter 11

There were butterflies in my stomach as I knocked on the door of the Assassin's Den that I now called home. Everything was so different now. I was definitely more confident in my choice of line of work, although I still felt a bit nervous. Would I be good enough to carry out my deeds? Could I serve and protect my fellow brothers? Was I worthy of wielding a blade? I haven't even gone on a mission yet, and I was already freaking out.

Suddenly the door swung open, and a golden blur lunged at me, almost knocking me backwards.

"She's back! She's back!" a shrill voice cried.

"Whoa, Opal, calm down!" I laughed as I stood and dusted off my robes.

"Sorry!" She giggled. "It's just been so long since I last saw you."

"Yeah, I heard you went on a mission. How did it go?"

She shrugged. "Oh, it was fine. But enough about me! Did you get initiated?"

I grinned and showed her my burnt ring finger and jumped when she squealed.

"Oh my gosh!" She hugged me again, her tail wagging so hard that she was having a hard time keeping her balance. "I can't believe it! You're actually a Master Assassin!" She gasped. "We can go on missions together! Wouldn't that be fantastic?! Oh, and I got you this!"

Opal took out a small box and handed it to me.

"I saw this at a market on our way back from the mission, and I thought it would be a great initiation gift!"

I opened the box, finding a silver chain attached to a small ornament shaped like a wolf's head, the eyes glinting turquoise.

"Wow, I love it! Thank you!" I hugged her again.

**/ / / / /**

When we got inside, we sat down and I told Opal about my trip to Rome. She kept urging me to explain every detail, and stared wide-eyed as I described our skirmish with the pirates.

"David?" she asked, interrupting me for the millionth time.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's what he said."

"That's weird. I know a lot of pirate captains, but I don't think any of them go by that name."

"Well, I guess-" I paused. "Wait, you know pirates?"

Opal nodded. "Most of them are allies of the Brotherhood. They help us get important information and supplies. And you say he was wearing Assassin's robes?"

I shrugged. "I'm pretty sure he stole them. He's probably going around posing as one of us while he goes about with his piracy."

"Hm. It's too bad Grace left."

"Yeah. I barely even knew her."

She sighed. "I'm kind of glad she isn't one of us anymore, though."

I looked up. "Wait, what? You're actually happy she's gone?"

"She just gave up, like you said. Obviously she wasn't loyal, and doesn't deserve to be a member of the Brotherhood."

"I guess you're right." I yawned. "It's getting kind of late."

"Yup." Opal stood. "Who knows? You might get assigned to a mission tomorrow! Won't that be exciting?"

I chuckled. "I can't wait."

Which is code for "I'm so nervous I think I might throw up."

**/ / / / /**

Later that night, I awoke to someone knocking on my door. I yawned and staggered over and opened it.

"Hmm… Yes?" I said groggily.

"I'm terribly sorry for waking you so early," said Vaughn, "But I have important news."

He handed me an envelope. Great. Another letter.

I sighed and took it from him, breaking the seal and reading through it. My eyes widened.

**/ **

Master Assassin Pufftail,

You and others have been assigned on a mission in Versailles as reinforcements for a failed attempt to reclaim a Den controlled by Templars. Your ship will leave at sunrise. The only supplies necessary to bring are weapons. Any others will be provided by our Den. When you arrive, look for a dog who goes by the name of Callaway. He will inform you of everything else and answer any questions if needed. Good luck, Assassin.

**/ **

Huh, I thought. No signature.

"Thank you."

"Good. I will leave you be."

I sighed with exasperation as I closed the door. So much sea-travel. I hope I don't have to get used to this.

**Well, there you have it. I hope you liked this chapter! Don't forget to leave a review/PM and tell me what you think!**

**-Darou**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! You might hate me after you read this chapter. Just make sure you keep a box of tissues with you. I just thought that every Assassin's Creed story has to have something sad to make it complete.**

**I do not own Assassin's Creed or Pufftail. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I'm writing this story with her permission. All cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Please do not use this story or the characters in it without my permission. Enjoy!**

**Cameos in this story:**

**Melissa-aderpypro**

Chapter 12

The sun was just beginning to rise as we boarded the ship. Our journey was peaceful, although much noisier, since a different ship meant a different captain. To my surprise, one of my comrades joining me for the mission was Opal. I was happy to see her, although it was apparent that she was very tired from her last assignment. She told me about her mission-leaving out the assassination, of course. Apparently, the British army was going to need a new general.

**/ / / / /**

France was quite different from Italy. I hoped that I could try the food here if we got the chance. The country was pretty well-known for its cuisine. I looked again at the letter I'd been given. It said something about looking for someone named Melissa.

"Who's Melissa?" I asked aloud.

"Over here, meathead."

I turned to face wherever the voice came from, and saw it'd come from a green dog...of some sort. Her tail was like a lion's, thin with a tuft of fur on the end, and two long, ram-like horns curved out from behind her ears, their tips obviously having been sharpened.

"I'm here to show you where you need to go," she said as she walked up to me.

I glared. "Don't call me meathead."

She shrugged. "You looked like a meathead was all."

I sighed, ignoring the comment. "Alright, where do we need to go?"

"Well, first, I"-

She was cut off as an enormous explosion erupted, and civilians scattered about screaming.

I turned to see a ship as it docked, its flag boasting the symbol of the Templar Order. A low growl came from my throat as I unsheathed my sword.

More ships, all with flags bearing the same symbol, followed and docked as well. The Assassins immediately clashed in a full-out free-for-all with the Templars that left the ships.

"ATTACK!" Melissa screamed as she leapt onto a small tabby cat and mauled him.

I joined the fight, swinging my sword left and right as I ran through the crowd of canines and felines.

Suddenly, a huge impact from behind knocked me to the ground. I fell face-first, and whipped around to see a Templar with her blade at my throat, grinning like a bobcat. I snarled, baring my teeth, and socked her in the jaw, making her yowl as her head snapped back. I shoved her off of me and ran before she could find me. Soon there were less than half the Templars there were before, even though there were only about ten of us in the first place. We managed to force the cats back towards their ships as we cheered victoriously. Over the all the noise, though, I heard the sound of a cocking rifle. I turned to see one of the Templars-apparently having escaped the battle-with her gun pointed straight at my head. There was nothing I could do. She was too far for me to lunge at her, and I had no throwing knives. I felt my tail and ears droop as I let a low whimper. She fired.

**/ / / / /**

The sound of the gunshot was deafening, though I could hear a voice calling over it.

"Pufftail!" It screamed. "NO!"

Just as the shot sounded, I was on the ground. I didn't move. I was sure I was dead, until I heard a whine.

Slowly, fearing that I would find a hole in my chest, I opened my eyes. No bulletwound. No blood. What had just happened?

I stood and looked in the direction the whine came from. And screamed.

Opal lay in the dirt a ways away, and she and the ground around her was soaked in blood. Her chest rose and fell shakily, her breath coming rapid and uneven.

I ran to her side, gently turning her over so I could see her face. Trying not to puke at the sight of the bullet hole in her shoulder, I looked into her eyes as the light slowly left them.

"Opal?" I squeaked.

She turned her head to me. "You...you need to get out of here," she choked. "There might be more coming."

"I'm not leaving you here," I said softly. My vision blurred with tears.

She frowned. "You know I won't make it."

I put her head in my lap as I sobbed. "Don't say that."

She took in a shaky breath. "I'm real proud of you, Tails. I know you're going to be a great Assassin."

All I could do was whimper.

Opal, using all the strength she had left, raised her hand and placed it on my shoulder. "I need you to be strong, kiddo." She smiled. "Make me proud."

Her hand slipped off my shoulder as she went limp.

"Thank you," I whispered through my tears.

**:,( Poor Opal. My mom actually got upset when she read this part, because Opal was her favorite character. Don't forget to leave a review/PM and tell me what you think!**

**-Darou**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! I apologize for how long it took me to update this story, I've been very busy lately, with finals at school and all. I haven't had much time to work on either of my stories, so I hope to make up for lost time this summer. I still haven't received any reviews for "Hellhound," probably because of people's very unusual fear of furries. Don't be scared to tell me what you think, I won't bite! Still, if you have continued reading this story and have accepted the fact that I don't walk and talk and think like everyone else, thank you very much. There aren't any cameo's in this chapter, just so you know.**

**Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am using her fursona with her permission. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or the characters in it without my permission.**

Chapter 13

It was nearing nightfall as I left Opal's funeral being held outside our Den. Many other Assassins had come, brothers and sisters and cousins and old friends. Everyone seemed to know her. It made it seem even more impossible to believe she was gone.

This wasn't like one of the stories I'd read in my childhood, when some miracle happened and a dead friend was brought to life. She was never coming back. There was nothing to fix what had been broken that night.

Rosco POV

He stared through the flames of the pyre. Opal had been a good Assassin, and a great friend. She had been an Apprentice and was initiated alongside him. They had been close friends. Yet he shed no tears. He didn't know why.

At his father's funeral, his grandfather's funeral, his sister's funeral, never had he cried. Not once. Not when he was shot in the arm. Not when his finger was singed in the initiation. Not when the Templars attacked his home and dragged him and his sister out to watch their home and old life burn to ashes. There must have been something wrong with him, something wrong with his wretched heart.

His mind flooding with thoughts and memories, he turned from the pyre and followed the trail that led from the Den to the town. It was the only place and time at which he could be alone, for Rosco didn't care for the sympathy of others. It made him feel something within, and he didn't want to feel anything. There he saw Pufftail, her blue tail reflecting the light of the moon as it hung low, her ears flat back against her skull.

Rosco caught up to her. "Pufftail," he said softly, "I'm sorry for your loss. I know you and Opal were close."

She turned and stared at him blankly with empty eyes, then continued walking.

He jogged back to her side. "I understand your pain."

"Thanks, Rosco," she said glumly without even looking at him.

"Honestly, I"-

"I said, THANKS," she growled.

He finally got the idea and hung back as the Assassin walked her lonely path. Slowly, he put his fingers to the scar that ran across his eye, a red line that was no more than a hideous reminder. 'I hope she finds justice,' he thought to himself, 'But that she doesn't make the same mistake I once did.'

**/ / / /**

Pufftail POV

**/ / / / **

I left the trail and continued towards the surrounding woods, not caring where I went. Nothing really mattered anymore, so what was the point of going somewhere important? Memories continued coming back, hitting me like flying bricks.

Opal and I weren't just friends. We were practically sisters. She was always there for me, and I had let her down by being stupid and arrogant. It felt as if my heart had been torn apart, and although it could be put back together, I'd never find all of the pieces.

I let my tail drag on the ground behind me for hours, not caring if it got covered in mud and leaves.

The sound of running water came from ahead. I followed the sound and found a small creek, its slowly moving current reflecting the rising moon. I tilted my head up, gazing at the stars. They shone brightly-just like Opal's eyes when they were filled with excitement.

Quickly, I looked down before I'd start crying again, then realized with horror that the fur on my hands were matted with dried blood. Not my own, of course. I dipped them into the stream, cleaning them until they returned to their natural blue hue.

Sighing, I sat back on my haunches, staring at the creek's surface. I wrapped my fingers around the necklace my fallen friend had given me. Looking down at the amulet, I was surprised by how brightly the silver wolf's golden eyes shown. I closed my eyes as they burned. I had no tears left.

Perhaps Opal was reuniting with her family, I thought. She was in a better place now, her pain and anguish gone forever. And someday, I would be with her again.

But not yet. She told me to be strong. She told me to make her proud. The problem was... I didn't know how. There was nothing I could do to stop the Templars except do the same damn thing we've done for thousands of years, and yet nothing seems to change. The war goes on.

I tightened my grip on the amulet. It felt...warm.

Really warm.

A resonating buzzing filled my ears. I shook them, thinking the sound was from pesky bugs. But I didn't feel tiny wings. Instead, I felt my hand getting warmer and warmer.

I suddenly dropped my hand from the amulet when it burned me.

"Ouch!"

Then there was a glowing, golden light. Coming from the charm around my neck. I saw that it was actually glowing the color of the sun.

It fell to my chest, and I slipped the chain over my head and tossed it to the ground when it burned my skin.

Just before it hit the forest floor, though, it stopped, floating in midair. I stared in awe. It was like time had stopped, the necklace stuck in the air. Curiously, I stooped down to look closer and recoiled when it moved.

Slowly, as if an invisible phantom were presenting it to me, it began rising in the air until the silver wolf's lifeless eyes, now glowing brightly, were level with mine.

"Opal," I whispered, "You didn't really buy this at the market, did you?"

/ /

**Well, I finally got it done! What did you think? Let me know in your review! And if you'd like me to make a cameo of your fursona(or a furry version of your AC OC), let me know now so I can plan ahead. Keep in mind I can't start on your cameo's until after I post chapter 27, since everything before then is already written out. Thank you all for reading, guys!**

**-Darou**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! Hopefully by now, you've dropped a review for me, although I hope you didn't drop the bass. You know, get it? Skrillex? Nevermind. I'm not very good at making funny references, apparently. My friend Bunsif is working on a new story, I think based off of that Infamous game. It's also a furry fiction. Make sure to follow her and read her stories. She's a great writer and artist!**

**Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am writing this story with her permission. The cameo characters in this story belong to their rightful owners. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Do not use this story or the characters in it without my permission.**

**Cameo's in this chapter: Amber-Amber the Firefox**

Chapter 14

The wolf emblem glared back at me with its eyes glowing gold, a pulsating buzz in the air around it. There was whispering in my head, all of the voices talking at once, but I couldn't make it out. Slowly, against my will, I began to reach toward the emblem that floated in the air before me. My fingers touched it, wrapped around it, and the glowing light blinked out.

My surroundings spun around me, and everything went black.

**/ / / /**

"How long has it been?" asked a voice. I didn't recognize it all that well.

"I don't know," another replied. This voice I recognized. "A week at the very least."

There was a long silence, followed by a deep sigh.

"Does the Den Master know?"

"Yes, she is aware."

"Good. When this one wakes up-if she wakes up-we need to find out exactly what happened. People don't just drop unconscious in the woods. Templars, perhaps?"

I heard the sound of boots on the stone floor as one of them approached my motionless body.

"I doubt it," said the unfamiliar voice. "The guards would have stopped them. Besides, I don't see any wounds."

I felt a soft paw touch my forehead.

"At least the fever's gone. She probably would have froze out there, had no one noticed she was missing."

"Uuuunh." I opened my eyes to find that I was in the infirmary, most of the other beds around me unoccupied. Tye the Australian shepherd sat nearby, while a dalmatian I didn't know was standing over me.

"She's awake!" he cried. He turned to the other dog. "Alert the others!"

Tye nodded and ran out of the large room as the Dalmatian turned back to me.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, I just"- I sat up and quickly put my paw to my forehead as excruciating pain racked my body. "Er...no. My head is killing me."

"Here." He handed me a bowl of something that looked kind of like cream and smelled terrible. "It should ease the pain."

Even though the stench was nauseating, I managed to gulp it down. It was thick and gooey like flour-water and left a nasty taste in my mouth, although my head was already feeling a bit better.

He sat at the edge of the bed as I set the cup down. "Do you remember anything from before you blacked out?"

"No," I replied. Everything was a blur.

"What's the very last thing you remember, then?"

I thought for a moment, trying to get my thoughts straight. My memories from earlier that night were more like a dream, hardly visible and impossible to decipher. Still, I managed to grasp a part of it. "Opal's funeral pyre."

"And?"

"I was going to the woods...I spoke to Rosco…"

"Do you remember what he said?"

I sighed. "No, I don't think so."

The Dalmatian remained quiet for a while. "Strange. Do you recall getting into a fight? Maybe drinking or eating something that smelled unusual? Any suspicious characters in the area?"

I shook my head, then looked up as Tye ran back inside with the Den Master following behind him like a ghostly shadow.

"Amber?!" The Dalmatian looked surprised. "I thought you were in Madrid!"

"I was," replied the Fire Fox disgruntledly. "They canceled the meeting just as I arrived. A complete waste of my precious time."

"I apologize to trouble you any further," said the Dalmatian nervously, "But Master Assassin Pufftail is awake."

Amber turned her fiery gaze on me, and I shrunk back slightly. She didn't look like someone I would want to trifle with.

"Tell me, Pufftail," she said quizzically, "Do you know how this happened?"

I shook my head. "No, I-I don't remember anything, ma'am."

Her eyes narrowed. "You remember nothing? Nothing _at all_?"

I whimpered quietly. My mind raced, trying to grasp the smallest hint of a memory. Avoiding Amber's gaze, I looked towards the bedside table-where I saw the necklace. The necklace given to me by a hyper golden retriever. My eyes widened.

"I...I remember something," I whispered.

/ / / /

**Thanks for reading, y'all! Don't forget to leave a review or PM and tell me what you think! Questions, comments, suggestions, pie recipes, whatever! And also, if you're interested, check out my other story, "Blood of a Time Lord." I might change the title, since a lot of other stories have the same name...and it doesn't seem to match the genre very well, either. We'll see!**

**-Darou**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! I've posted 3 new chapters today, so that should help make up for the month or so that I dropped off the surface of the Earth. I've been playing Assassin's Creed II a lot lately, so I could return to the usual mood I need to write this story.**

**If you're a writer yourself, you probably know that your emotions and level of tiredness and such can affect your writing, even in the most subtle ways.**

**You might notice the weird, random slashes in between some paragraphs, but that's the only way I know to make spaces between them. Just so you know, four slashes means a change of setting or point of view, and one is just to keep the paragraphs further apart. If you might know a better way to do this, could you please let me know?**

**Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am using her fursona in this story with her permission. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me.**

**Cameo's in this chapter:**

**Melissa-aderpypro**

Chapter 15

As I walked back to my room-which I hadn't been in for a while-I noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Strange.

I knew it couldn't have been a thief or anything-I mean honestly, I was in an Assassin's Den. Sure, many of my brothers had been thieves in the first place, but I knew I could trust them. Isn't that why we call each other 'brother?'

Still, my intuition kicked in, and I was cautious as I stepped into the small room. Everything was just as it had been, to my relief. Even the covers on my bed were still turned over...that was a bit embarrassing.

Although, as I looked around, I saw a folded letter on top of the small bookshelf. With a sigh, I opened it. I already knew what it was going to say before I even read it.

Master Assassin Pufftail,

**/**

You have been assigned a new mission in Paris. Your assignment is to assassinate Templar Captain Alfonso Bonheur during a meeting that will be in three week's time. You have been assigned one companion only. This is a stealth mission; stay anonymous as best you can. Good luck, Assassin.

**/**

Once again, no signature. I sat on the edge of my bed with a sigh. I just got back home from a horrible mission, and now I have to go back to the same country where I watched my best friend die?!

I closed my eyes. Losing my cool wouldn't fix anything. Besides, wasn't this part of being an Assassin? Living a life of fear and grief, of knowing that you and those around you would die at any moment, and still living on? I wasn't doing this as a choice. I was doing it because the world, mankind, and freedom itself depended on it. You don't choose to join the Brotherhood, the Brotherhood chooses you.

I had no other choice. I was going to Paris.

**/ / / /**

The dock was sunny and peaceful, as usual. Of course, last time a horrible tragedy happened, it was this same scene. It no longer cheered me up as it once did when Melissa walked up to greet me.

"Nice weather we're having," she said blissfully. "You doing alright?"

"Yeah," I replied.

Her smile faded. "I'm sorry about your friend."

I said nothing.

Obviously getting the message, she turned around and headed toward a nearby ship.

"You'll have to get going in a few minutes," she said over her shoulder.

I noticed that out of all of the Assassins at the docks, I was the only one apparently boarding the ship. Didn't I have a partner for the mission?

"Hey, Melissa!"

The green hellhound turned to me. "Hm?"

"Did you happen to see anyone else wearing robes on this ship recently?"

"Only you."

I sighed. Great, now my partner was a no-show, meaning I would have to do this stupid mission on my own. How could I?! I barely knew what to do! It didn't matter how much I had trained, it was just that I couldn't possibly know how to use techniques in the field.

Just I began to walk up the wooden ramp, I saw a hooded figure approach me. A familiar muzzle with red-brown fur stuck out from underneath the hood.

"Rosco?!" I cried with surprise. "You're my partner?!"

He pulled his hood back, revealing his amber eyes and multiple scars. "Pufftail?" His expression turned even more downcast, if that were possible.

_Oh, great_, I thought to myself. How can I stay positive on this mission when my partner is a gloomy mutt?

**Well, that's it for today. I might update sometime next week. Leave a review/PM and tell me what you think of the story so far! Questions, comments, suggestions, pie recipes, whatever! And if you'd like a cameo of your fursona(or a furry version of your AC OC) in the story, please let me know soon so I can start working on it! Make sure to give me a bio and such so that I can represent your character how you want me to. Thanks for reading!**

**-Darou**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey, everybody! Darou here!** **I've finally remembered to update my fanfiction-this one, at least. I'm still accepting cameo requests, if you're interested. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go ahead and look at the AN in the previous chapter. Anyway, I just now got my first review on this story since I've put it up on Fanfiction. Thank you very much! **

**Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am writing this fanfiction with her permission. The cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my permission. Enjoy!**

/ / / /

Chapter 16

It was an endless meadow, a field of tall, green grass dotted with wildflowers. The sun was high in the bright blue sky as I breathed in the fresh spring air. It was so peaceful here. A gleaming light from somewhere nearby caught my eye. As I got closer for a better look, it became a bright, golden color, like the sun had been brought down to the earth. The glow came from an amulet, a silver wolf head with glowing golden eyes.

I reached out to grab it, and it came toward me, setting itself in my paws. The eyes stared back at me, seeming more alive than when I'd first seen them. They looked as if they knew something.

"My dear Pufftail," said a soft voice.

"What?" I looked around. I saw no one. "Who's there?"

Then the field and flowers and blue sky disappeared until there was nothing but whiteness, an empty nothing. It was as if I were suddenly blind.

"I am here, my darling," said the voice. "I always have been."

I turned and gasped. A white fox stood before me, clothed in white garments. She seemed to hover in the air, light emanating from her as if she were an immortal goddess.

"Who-who are you?!"

"You would not understand if I were to tell you," she replied, her voice like a whisper in the wind, "But I must tell you now that you are in great danger. You have found the Hellhound, a true Piece of Eden. You must return it to its rightful place before they find it."

"What? Who's they?"

The glow around her began to dim. "Return it to its home, and all will be revealed."

"But I don't understand!" I cried.

She slowly faded away until all that remained of her were echoing words.

"All will be revealed."

**/ / / /**

I gasped awake from the dream. What was that all about? The door leading to the deck suddenly flew open. I quickly put my paw up to shield my eyes from the bright sunlight that came in through the doorway.

"Rise and shine!" shouted a rabbit. "Let's get up and go, ladies!"

The other sailors in the room groaned as they rolled out of their hammocks.

Rosco was already out and about when I went up to the deck.

"How much longer until we reach France?" I asked him.

He leaned to the side to look behind me. "Oh...about five minutes."

I turned around. Land was already visible on the horizon, and it quickly began to take shape of a busy dock. The morning air was filled with cries of seagulls and shouts of sailors. By the time we'd reached the port, people were already unloading cargo.

"I can't remember the last time I've been here," said Rosco. "Not since…."

I gave him a weird look. "Since what?"

He turned away. "Nothing."

The Assassin's Den in Paris was much different from the ones in Spain and Rome. It was well decorated-not to the extent to the Den in Rome, though-and I was surprised to see it was quite close to the city. Usually the Dens were somewhere far away from civilization, to keep the Brotherhood a secret.

"Here is your room," said the dog who led us to a door on the third floor.

"We don't have separate rooms?" I asked, doing my best to hide my utter horror.

The Assassin smiled and continued in his French accent, "No. It is summer, a season of vacation, and so we have many guests. This is our only room. My apologies, Mademoiselle."

"But I"-

"I'll sleep on the floor," Rosco grumbled.

"Such a gentleman!" The dog turned to me and handed me my bag. "Your weapons, madam."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied, ignoring the edge in my voice.

I glared at his back as he left. Could this trip get any worse?

/ / / /

**Sorry about how short my chapters are. I'm trying to edit them a bit. As we get closer to the most recently written chapter, though, they should get a bit longer. Anyway, don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think so far! Suggestions, comments, questions, pie recipes, whatever! Also, check out my Google+ page, which has the same name as my Fanfiction account. I post my own art and other stuff and would love to chat! Thanks for reading!**

**GuitarGamer: thanks for the review! And yes, I thought dogs would be good Assassins since they're loyal and work together, while cats make good Templars because they're pretty selfish. :)**

**-Darou**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! I hope you guys are having a great summer. I'm pretty much stuck inside, since it's almost 100 degrees out and the public pool is closed. :P Oh, the humanity. Anyway, those of you who are still reading, thank you! This story doesn't seem to be the most popular. Still, I'm glad at least a few people have taken some interest.**

**Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am writing this fanfiction with her permission. The cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my permission. Enjoy!**

Chapter 17

I felt kind of guilty hogging the bed. Rosco lay fast asleep, wrapped in a wool blanket I'd given him.

Later that night, I was awakened by a strange sound. It was a quiet shuffling, followed by what sounded like someone trying to bark with their muzzle closed.

Nervously, I looked over the side of the bed. In the dim moonlight that came through the window's curtains, I could see a dark form on the floor, twitching and writhing as it snarled. I pulled back one of the curtains, letting more light in. Rosco was barking and whimpering as he thrashed in his sleep. It reminded me of my younger brother when we used to have to share a bunk bed, and he always howled in his sleep. It was awful. He also sleep-walked at times, and we would have to barricade the door every night.

Slowly, I got out of bed and stood over him. "Rosco?" I whispered as I gently touched his shoulder.

Like a flash of black and red lightning, Rosco threw himself at me with a wild snarl.

Before I knew it, he was on top of me and held a blade to my throat.

"Rosco, it's me!" I shrieked a little loudly.

He paused for a moment, waiting for his eyes to adjust, then he quickly moved over so I could stand.

"Pufftail, don't do that! You know not to wake me up!"

I folded my ears down meekly. "No, I didn't. Apology accepted, by the way."

His expression softened, but only slightly. "Sorry."

"It's fine."

That was a lie. Gosh, he's such a drama queen. Note to self-don't wake up Rosco unless it's an emergency, or if you just have a death wish.

**/ / / /**

At the Den in France, food wasn't always provided and neither a wake-up call, so I was surprised to wake up with the sun high in the sky.

I got up and noticed that my companion was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he was already downstairs? I quickly got dressed and headed to the main floor, where I searched out the Assassin who had escorted us. "Hey, have you seen Rosco?"

"Who?"

"The dog I was with."

"I've seen a lot of dogs today."

I sighed. "The 'gentleman?'"

He stared for a moment, then grinned. "Ah, you mean ze brown, grumpy one!"

I glared. "Yeah. That one."

"I believe he is in ze courtyard."

"Thank you." Just as the dog had said, Rosco was out in the small courtyard that sat in front of the door. He was wiping fresh, black blood off of his blades.

"I see you've been busy," I observed.

He nodded. "Yes, in fact. Most of the guards on the street are gone, as well as the gunmen."

I nodded. "Good. That should save us a lot of work."

"Indeed. Which is why I thought I could show you around."

"Around what? Paris?" I was surprised by how well I hid my excitement. I've always wanted a tour of Paris.

"Yes. Are you alright with that?"

"Of co- I mean...sure. That sounds fun." Did that sound serious enough?

"Excellent. Just let me finish cleaning my blades. Have you eaten yet?"

I just then realized how hungry I was. "No, I haven't."

"Hm."

He went back to whatever he was doing, seeming to have lost interest in the conversation already. I just stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do, then went off to chat with a group of nearby Assassins.

"So, who's your friend?" asked Adaline, a poodle who I had recently met.

She proved to be rather friendly, although after what had happened, it would be difficult to let another person join my circle of companions. I was still hurting.

"Who? Rosco?"

"Yeah."

I shrugged. "He's just my partner for this mission."

She raised a brow. "Just for the mission, huh?"

"Yes."

She didn't urge me to say anything else, although I saw her smirk out of the corner of my eye.

"Do you still want me to show you around?"

I jumped as Rosco came up from behind me.

"Yeah, sure." I blushed when Adalene chuckled, and even more so when he put out his elbow in a formal gesture. I wrapped my hands around it and flushed.

As we left the courtyard, I heard her add to my embarrassment.

"Later, lovebirds!" She called out louder than she needed, making every civilian and Assassin nearby look in our direction.

Dear God.

/ / / /

**Thanks for reading! Please don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you think of my fanfic so far! Suggestions, comments, questions, whatever! And if you haven't yet, go ahead and check out my Google+ page, which is also named 'Darou Dogaroo.' I post my own art and stuff, and I'd love to chat! Thanks!**

**-Darou**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey, everybody! I'm terribly sorry for how long it's taken me to update. I haven't had much time to work on my fanfictions lately, since I've been...busy. As in enjoying summer break with friends. I guess you could call that busy, but you know I've got a life outside of and stuff, so yeah. Sorry. Anyway, once I get chapter 27 up, I'll only post one chapter every so often instead of three, since by now you should know that every chapter up to 27 has been written ahead of time. In fact, I've actually been writing this story since December. xD**

**/**

**Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am writing this fanfiction with her permission. The cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my permission. Enjoy!**

/ / /

Chapter 18

Paris was everything I'd imagined. It was beautiful, and the people were so friendly. Well, most of them. One old goat shrieked when she saw us with our hoods up and chased after us with a broom as she screamed, "Chupacabras! CHUPACABRAS!"

I'm not being offensive, she really was an old goat. And she's obviously never seen an Assassin before.

Rosco took me to an older restaurant at the end of the street, and the inside looked like some sort of run-down warehouse, with dirt and grime all over the place. Well, more so than the other buildings around us.

"Ummm… are you sure about this place? I don't want to sound rude, it's just…."

"I've eaten here since I was a pup," replied Rosco.

I think that was a lie, but I didn't say anything.

To my full shock, the food was actually amazing. I ordered something called 'escargot,' expecting some kind of bread or soup, and was horrified to find my plate covered in dead snails.

"Ew!" I shrieked as I poked at it with my fork.

Rosco got a French soup that smelled delicious.

I stared for a moment. "Want to trade?"

He shrugged. "Fine with me."

He took the snails and pushed the bowl in front of me. I was quick to finish it.

"You could've told me what escargot was."

"You could've asked."

I sighed, not bothering to argue. "Well, thanks for the tour."

Rosco nodded. "Any time."

We sat there for a while. Eventually, I decided to break the silence.

"So...what should we do now?" I asked. "I don't think the Templar meeting will start until nightfall."

"Hush!" He snapped suddenly.

"What?"

Rosco looked about us, making sure no one nearby was watching, then continued in a quieter voice, "We're going to have to get rid of the rest of the guards."

I paused. Come to think of it...I haven't killed anyone before. I've trained for three years, yet...I didn't feel ready. How exactly was I going to be an Assassin if I couldn't learn to take a life? All the others in the Brotherhood had joined because they've lost something to the Templars, something that traumatized them to the point that they were willing to kill someone to get it back. I don't think I've ever had such an experience, and my only motive, to be honest, was joining a group of people that had a reason to fight. I have no reason to fight.

"Where should we start?" I tried to hide my anxiety.

"It would be best to start with the guards in the outermost parts of the city. That way, no one will get too suspicious."

"Good idea."

I wonder how many times he'd been put in prison to figure that out. I didn't bother thinking about it.

After we finished eating, Rosco and I headed out toward the edge of Paris. Rosco obviously did a pretty good job getting rid of the guards, since it was a long while before we came across any.

There were two cats, both of them wearing typical French soldier uniforms. One of them was a gray chartreux, the other a gray Norwegian forest cat with black stripes.

We tried blending in with the crowd, although there weren't very many people around, which meant we'd have to jump from roof to roof to keep up with them.

A few minutes passed. Eventually, the cats turned into an empty alleyway, full of trash and some green stuff I hoped wasn't vomit. They were arguing in French, and soon they started shoving at each other back and forth.

Rosco and I then stepped into the alley, blocking the single entrance. The guards didn't seem to notice us as we approached them. Just as they were in lunging distance, the fluffy one looked in our direction and jumped three feet in the air as he yowled. Rosco pounced and took the chartreux to the ground. I went for the Norwegian cat, and although he was quite chubby, he managed to dodge my attack. Rosco was wrestling with the small chartreux, then unsheathed his hidden blade and plunged it into the guard's throat. I cringed in disgust as the cat's blood soaked the ground.

I turned to the fat cat and drew my blade. He immediately ran screaming, "Mercy! Mercy!"

What a coward.

"Don't worry," said Rosco. "You'll get another chance."

I sighed. "I hope so."

/ / /

**Thanks for reading, guys and gals! Don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think of the story so far! Comments, suggestions, questions, pie recipes, you name it! Also, thank you to those of you who have reviewed!**

**Review replies:**

**TorrentofIrony: Thank you very much, I'm glad you like my story! I'm quite a dog person myself as well, although I still think cats are very cute. :)**

**-Darou**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! So, this chapter will have a little surprise at the end. When I first posted this on Google+, most people didn't really know what to think of it, although quite a few of them seemed to like it. This will probably be the moment of truth when you decide whether or not you truly enjoy this story. Hopefully, you will enjoy it.**

Chapter 19

Rosco and I stood on the roof of a tall building, watching a small celebration-for royal blood only, of course. We were waiting for the Templar Captain to show up, and two hours had already passed.

I looked up. It was a full moon, the light so bright that no candles or lanterns needed to be lit. The music coming from the orchestra below was quite beautiful, as were the arrays of clothing the participants of the party wore. The smell of fresh fruit and meat wafted up toward us. I may have drooled a bit.

"It's almost midnight," I said, looking at my pocketwatch. "Do you think he's coming?"

"It would be an insult for a Templar to miss such an important date. He doesn't have much of a choice."

I nodded. "What are we looking for, exactly?"

"I believe he's a white Persian. Scottish accent. Also a drinker. He'll most likely be drunk by the time he gets here."

"We could use that to our advantage."

He gave me a weird look. "It's not the captain we have to worry about. It's those damn guards."

"I thought we killed all of them, though. Didn't we?"

"Those were just the local guards," Rosco replied. "These are highly trained Templars. It may be a challenge to get past them."

I sighed. This mission was so boring. How long until we actually got to do something? I'd miraculously managed to miss my first chance to use my blades, and I was probably going to miss this one, too.

"So...did you grow up here in France?"

He turned to me. "Is this your idea of small talk?"

I blushed.

Rosco sat back and sighed. "Yes, I grew up here, although I was born in Germany."

I smirked. "And how was Germany?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I was only a few months old when my parents took us to Versailles to live with my grandparents."

I turned. "You said 'us'."

He looked away. "Yes. I had a sister."

"Hm. I wonder if you could introduce me sometime?"

"She's dead."

My breath caught in my throat. I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what.

Rosco turned his back to me and hugged his knees to his chest.

"I-I'm sorry," I stuttered. "If I had known, I wouldn't have-I mean I"-

"It's fine," he said shakily. "It's not your fault."

I was quiet for a moment. "...I know how you feel."

"Everyone says that," he growled.

"Alright," I said. "You're right. I don't know how you feel." I put my paw on his shoulder.

Rosco turned and glanced at me, his amber eyes glistening with unshed tears. The sight certainly shocked me, I've never seen him so...vulnerable.

"I can tell you now, though, you're not alone."

He glared. "How would you know that?"

I smiled. "It's a big world, Rosco. I know that luck hasn't been on your side, but things will get better. You just have to trust me."

"I don't believe in luck." His lip trembled as he tried to look angry. "Not after…." He bowed his head and let his ears fold back against his head.

"It's alright. You can tell me."

"No, I…"

"I want to help you, Rosco."

"I don't need help." He growled as he stood. "I don't need anyone!"

I frowned. "So you don't need me, then?"

"Exactly!"

My frown turned to a glare as I got to my feet. I couldn't stand it anymore. I was sick of this cowardly dog pushing me around. "Rosco Lucian Gavenhart! Look at me!"

He turned to face me meekly.

"How dare you?! All your life, you've just been hiding from your problems, shutting out anyone who could possibly care about you! You're weak, selfish, rude, and ignorant. You're just like a child! Love is all you've ever needed, yet you run from it if it ever appears. I think it's about time that you stood up for yourself, that you've grown up and"-

Suddenly Rosco reached forward, wrapped his arms around me, and kissed me. For a moment my eyes closed and my heartbeat sped so fast that all I heard was a buzzing in my chest.

Finally I pulled away. I wanted so much to slap him across the muzzle then, but somehow I also wanted him to kiss me again. I felt confused and enlightened at the same time.

"You're right," he said softly. He placed his paw against my cheek, and I held it there, where it lay warm against my skin. "I've been foolish. I've been selfish. I've been a monster."

I only stared back at him.

For the first time since I'd met him, Rosco smiled with real joy. I smiled back, just then noticing I was crying. I reached up to wipe my tears, but then Rosco embraced me tightly.

"And now," he whispered in my ear, "I'm foolish, selfish, a monster, and hopelessly in love."

I let my tears fall. "I never thought anyone cared about me."

He slowly pulled away, but still held me. "As did I, Pufftail," he replied, "As did I."

/ / /

**0.0 My own writing surprised me. That's pretty weird. Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think! Suggestions, comments, questions, pie recipes, whatever! And if you'd like, have any furry/Assassin's Creed friends you know read this story. Spread the word! :D**

**-Darou**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! Just so you know, this chapter is a bit more violent than the last few, so be warned. And just so you know, I credit the owners of the cameo characters with their Google+ usernames.**

Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am writing this fanfiction with her permission. The cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my permission. Enjoy!

**Cameo's in this chapter:**

**Rowen Winegar-Rowen Winegar**

/

Chapter 20

Suddenly there was a loud eruption of cheering from the crowd below as a ball of glistening white fur appeared. It was a cat, with ugly yellow eyes and a horrific nose that was smashed into its face. It was a wonder how he could breathe at all.

"There he is," Rosco growled, returning to his usual, serious state as if someone just flipped a switch.

"When should we attack?" I asked, still a bit dazed.

He thought for a moment. "We should go down to the celebration right now, just to see if there are any weaknesses in the guards' circle."

I nodded. "Good idea."

Rosco looked at me momentarily, then quickly averted his eyes when they met mine.

We silently made our way towards the Templars, using the large crowd as our disguise. I never thought 'hiding in plain sight' would actually work, given that everyone else was wearing fancy dresses and other attire.

Eventually, the guards came into view. All of them were wearing the usual 17th century Templar uniform, except for the captain. He wore a red cloak with multiple black markings on it, with the Templar Cross on a chain around his neck.

A low growl rumbled in my throat as one of the guards turned in our general direction. My eyes widened and my whiskers trembled as my tail rose in an aggressive posture. Other civilians around us must have noticed, because some gave me a strange look and others shied away slightly.

That face. That disgusting, hairy, slobbery, red-striped face. I've seen it before. I saw it grinning as its owner pulled the trigger on Opal, killing her like a fly. Rage bubbled up, and I felt myself stepping toward him instead, my hand on the hilt of my sword.

'I'm going to kill you,' I thought. 'I'm going to make you hurt. I'm going to make you bleed, just like you did to Opal. But your end will not be quick.'

My growl turned into a snarl that rang in my ears. My lips were pulled so far back that my gums were visible. I saw my reflection in one of the guards' armor. I looked like a dangerous animal. Because I was. I've been hunted, I've been hurt, I've been angered. And now, I was going to avenge my fallen friend.

The crowd's cheering turned into screaming as blood splattered everywhere. Rosco and I were attacking the guards, each one of them falling to the ground as we moved to the next. The feline with the red stripes-my target-was escorting the Templar captain away toward a large carriage. Not if I could help it. The guards that stood in my way were mere obstacles to me, a small crack in a paved road to step over. I felt something deep inside of me, something turning dark and cold as a tunnel vision blocked out the screams of the surrounding civilians, focusing on nothing but what was ahead of me. I no longer winced when my blade met flesh and fur. I wasn't aware of it at the time, but right then, I was experiencing bloodlust, a vicious, primitive instinct, an unexplainable urge to kill.

The old cat managed to get into the carriage as Rosco and I chased after him.

I outran Rosco, to his surprise, my anger fueling my vigor. As soon as it was in reach, I grabbed a hold of the handle used to board the wagon and climbed on top of it. The wind pushed me backward, but it wasn't enough to knock me off. The conductor turned to me, and before he could do so much as scream, I grabbed the front of his shirt and threw him off the wagon with a wild snarl.

"Tucker?" asked a voice from inside the coach. "What was that loud sound?"

Just then a second thump came from behind me. I twisted around to see Rosco attempting to climb up the back of the coach. I grabbed his paw and helped him up, and for once, he let me help him.

"Thank you."

I nodded, then he frowned.

"Where's the driver?"

"Ummm…." I moved sideways to look behind him. "I'm sure he's fine."

Rosco sighed. "Never mind that. Get inside."

We cautiously made our way to the side of the coach, and on the count of three, we opened the doors on either side.

"AHHHHH!" the Persian screamed. "What is this?!"

"An assassination, you idiot!" Rosco snarled. With the flick of his wrist, the blade hit its target.

I didn't look away this time, watching as his blood spilled. How sickening.

We heard another shriek as the wretched guard appeared. We haven't even noticed he was in there.

"Assassins!" He screamed. "Help!"

Rosco and I quickly jumped out the side of the coach and took to the rooftops. Reluctantly, I let Opal's killer live-for now. But I was going to find him sooner or later. He hasn't seen the last of me yet.

Soon nearly forty guards were on our tails, and with a low inventory of weapons and little energy left, we could only run. A large lake came into view, and on the other side a river that led into the woods. Above the lake, there was a dam with a small crow's nest near the top-perfect for a leap of faith and a quick escape.

"Follow me!" Rosco had to yell to be heard over the screaming and shouting of the guards, who had been joined by several vicious citizens-including that crazy old goat. "We need to get to the ship!"

"No, that's too far! We won't make it!"

He gave me a weird look, seemingly surprised.

"I have a better idea," I continued. "This way!"

We took a sharp turn towards the dam. Suddenly, around a corner there was another hoard of Templars who had successfully ambushed us. They blocked the wall we'd have to climb in order to get to the dam, and they were closing in.

"What do we do now?" I whimpered.

"I-I don't know."

"Filthy mutts!" said one Templar.

"We should kill them now!"

"We should torture them!"

"Drown the mangy dogs!"

"Burn them to dust!"

They drew their weapons as they stepped toward us, backing us into a corner. I closed my eyes, waiting for the pain. So this was how it was going to end. Cowering like a measly runt.

Then the shouts of rage turned to screams of wonder and terror as a bright light appeared.

I looked up to see what looked like a ball of fire falling from the sky. I was imagining it, right? It lowered to the ground and the flames dissipated, revealing a creature I didn't think I'd see again.

"Rowen!" I said happily. "I don't believe it!"

The phoenix grinned and nodded, then turned to the crowd of cats. A blazing fire once again engulfed him, and the hay and dead grass littering the ground burst into flames. The Templars blocking our path shrieked and turned tail, allowing us to climb up to the dam. The cats who had remained, however, had guns at the ready. Rosco and I quickly hurried to the crow's nest.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked.

"Not really."

Just then I saw, to my complete horror, that the top of the platform above the dam was littered with barrels of gunpowder.

"Dear God," I whimpered.

"FIRE!"

/

**Thanks for reading, everybody! Don't forget to leave a review, and...well, you know the rest.**

**-Darou**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! Sorry it's been a while, I don't know if I updated last week or not. Anyway, happy Fourth of July! We're getting closer to my most recently written chapter, and from then on, I might not update as often or with as many chapters.**

**Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am writing this fanfiction with her permission. The cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my permission. Enjoy!**

**Cameo's in this chapter:**

**Stafford-Jon Lim**

**/**

Chapter 21

/

The shots rang out, and an enormous eruption shook the earth as a blinding light filled the sky. Rosco and I leapt off the platform just as the dam exploded, fire and water flying everywhere. We were launched into the air and hit the water, the force of the explosion too powerful for us to manage a leap of faith.

I hit the surface on my back, pain scouring through my body. The water that the dam had been holding back rushed into the rest of the lake, creating a strong wave that pushed us toward the river connected to the body of water.

I clawed my way to the surface, being shoved back underwater by a wave multiple times.

"Rosco!" I screamed, just as another wave came towards my face. I swam back up, gasping for breath. "ROSCO!"

No reply.

Thinking quickly, I dived down and tried to find him, but the water was too murky. The current strengthened, and I instinctively fought against it, lashing out all I could to stay above the surface.

I tired quickly, and soon I was being dragged down to the bottom. My lungs felt like they were going to explode as my consciousness faded. Everything went black.

**/ / / /**

"Hello?" said a voice. It was like a distant echo, as if I were awake, but just barely. "Are you alright, wolf?"

I tried to reply, but when I opened my mouth, lake water spewed out. I sat up, coughing.

"Gee, you must've had quite a swim, eh?"

I looked up to see a river otter sitting next to me, with big, brown eyes staring at me.

"Who…" I coughed. "Who are you?"

"The name's Stafford, kid." He scratched his head. "I don't think I've seen you in these parts. Where ya from?"  
"Spain," I replied as I stood, groaning when a jolt of pain went through my back.

"You don't look too good."

"Where I am I?"

Stafford chuckled. "Why, in my house, of course. And on the floor, to be specific."

I looked around. I was inside a small wooden shack, with a lack of furniture and decorations other than cooked fish. Through the window, I could see the river with a forest beyond.

"How did I get here?"

"Uh...not sure. One day I just walked out to the river to catch a few fish, and then there's a blue wolf on the bank right in front of my porch. Hey, how come you're all blue, but your tail is brown? How does that work, exactly?"

I gasped, then whipped around to face the otter, making him flinch. "Did you see a brown dog? With black and red robes and an unnecessary amount of weapons and grouchiness?"

"I can't say I have."

I sighed. What happened to him? Did he escape? Was he looking for me? Did he think I was dead?

"Oh, no," I whimpered. "I have to find him."

I went to the door, but Stafford raced me to it.

"Wait! Before you leave, why don't you get something to eat?"

"No, I really have to"- I paused as my stomach growled. I looked at him meekly. "You wouldn't mind, would you?"

"Not at all!" He left and eventually returned with a plate of fire-cooked fish. "It's not very often that I get visitors out here."

Later on I thanked him for the meal and headed out.

"If you need anything, I'll be right here!" He called after me.

"Thanks, Stafford!"

**/ / / /**

Figuring that Rosco had shared my earlier idea, I followed the river further into the woods. I searched for a long time, slowly losing confidence as I went. He was probably hiding, considering that we were wanted by now. Sure enough, as I walked, I saw several wanted posters with sketches of Rosco and I on each one. Most of them were largely inaccurate-one showed me with a disgustingly large nose- although we were recognizable. Not good. I tore down each one and tried to rip them up.

Then I heard twigs snapping. I spun around to see a group of guards standing a few yards away with their rifles aimed at me. One of them-probably the leader-held up a wanted poster with me drawn on it. Now my ears looked freakishly big.

"Is this you?" he growled.

I was quiet for a moment. One of the guards cocked his gun, and I immediately took to the trees. They began yelling and shooting at me, although they didn't seem to be very good at aiming. I continued leaping from branch to branch, trying to get as far from them as possible.

"After her!" they kept screaming. Some of them tried to climb as well, although any cats in the French royal guard were declawed during initiation, since they saw themselves as civil folk and believed that only wild animals used their teeth and talons. They barely got three feet off the ground before they fell on their rump.

Up ahead, I saw towers sticking up, seeming to pierce the sky. The city! They'll never find me there.

I sped up, doing my best not to fall, and leapt over the ten-foot-tall fence that separated the town from the woods. Miraculously, the cats managed to do so as well.

Knowing they would spot me if I traveled rooftop to rooftop, I instead tried to blend amongst the villagers. Of course, it's kind of hard not to miss a blue wolf in green and brown robes, so they found me pretty fast.

"There she is!" I heard someone yell, and I broke into a run, constantly bumping into passers-by. A tall building was up ahead. It looked rather difficult to climb, and so I was sure that they wouldn't be able to follow me to the top.

I reached the base of it and started climbing. When I was halfway up, I heard a gunshot that rang in my ears. There was a sharp pain in my leg. I tried to keep climbing, but when I set my foot down on a narrow window sill, the pain became excruciating.

I cried out as I fell, landing on my back heavily. A shadow loomed over me, and the leader of guards appeared.

"Pufftail, you are under arrest," he snarled.

/

**Oh, dear. Well, thank you so much for reading! Don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think! Comments, questions, suggestions, pie recipes, whatever! And if you'd like, go ahead and share this story with your friends! See you next time!**

**-Darou**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! If you've read this far, that says a lot, and I'm very glad! How was your Fourth of July celebration? Did you watch fireworks and eat too much barbeque? I sure hope so! xD**

**Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am writing this fanfiction with her permission. The cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my permission. Enjoy!**

**Cameo's in this chapter:**

**David-Darksoundsartist the furry shepherd**

**Callaway-Bunsif(she has a fanfiction account as well)**

**/**

Chapter 22

The guards dragged me halfway across town until we reached the prison. I fought and fought until I could barely stand from exhaustion. My leg was especially in bad shape, and I could kick the guards only with the other. I managed to claw at the head of the group, and he now held a blood-soaked cloth to his cheek. That'll teach him.

Once we were inside, they took all of my weapons-except for my fury. They eventually removed the bullet from my leg, wrapped it in gauze, and threw me into an empty, dank cell.

It was nothing but brick walls and a floor with hay strewn everywhere. It smelled awful in there. I could tell there had been many other inmates in here before me. I could smell cats, dogs, bears, several reptiles.

They had put me in a cell without any windows. Smart. I searched around for any hint of life around me, although it seemed I was alone in this wing of the prison. The silence was deafening, and I could hardly stand it.

I've heard of people going insane after being in prison for many years. It took me about two hours. I banged my paws against the bars, making a weird ringing noise, and yelled and screamed until my throat hurt. I scratched at the brick wall until my claws were torn and my fingers bled. Hours passed.

I took to gnawing on the bars, my teeth hurting like hell as I did. Eventually I sat down and barked and whined for several minutes. I heard the squeak of a metal door opening.

"Quiet, you!" shouted a guard.

Suddenly mischievous, I tilted my head back and howled, the sound echoing in the halls.

"Did you not hear what I just said?!" He marched in and smacked the bars with his sword. "There's no law keeping me from slitting your throat where you stand, filthy Assassin!"

Instead of replying, I snarled savagely, my hair standing on end.

He shook his head and stalked away. "Dumb dog."

I huffed and stood. It wasn't long before I went back to banging against the bars. Out of nowhere, one of them bent slightly, as if it were looser than the others. I smiled.

Examining it, I stepped back until my back was against the wall. "Here goes nothing," I said to myself. With a quick breath, I ran towards the bars.

BAM!

The sides of my head ached. I wobbled slightly, then looked around. My head was outside of cell...but the rest of me wasn't. I was stuck between the metal rods.

I grumbled heatedly and tried to pull my head back, but it wouldn't budge. Then I began writhing uncontrollably, desperately trying to get unstuck.

"Whoa. Your head is stuck pretty good, eh?"

I looked up. "Who's there?'

In the cell across from me, a tall canine stepped into the light. He was mostly black, with a white stomach and maroon stripes across his back.

"Callaway, you can call me."

I rolled my eyes and went back to struggling.

"Hey, don't hurt yourself. Here," he began to demonstrate, "turn, and pull. Turn, and pull. It's not very hard."

I stared at him. Then, unsure, I started twisting my head sideways, then yanked backward as hard as I could. I slipped out with ease.

"There ya go, kid," said Callaway. "Hey, I don't think I got your name."

"Pufftail," I replied. "By any chance, would you know how to get out of here?"

"Hm...can't say I do." He squinted. "That's a nice necklace ya got there."

"Huh?" I looked down. The necklace, the silver wolf with golden eyes. I wrapped my paw around it, and it glowed like it had many days before. "I thought it was a dream," I whispered mostly to myself.

Suddenly, the door swung open again. There was yelling and shouting. I heard many words that I should best not repeat.

"I swear, I'm not an Assassin!" someone said.

My ears perked up at the mention of the word. the voices came closer, and the door of the cell next to me opened and closed.

"You can't do this!" the voice continued.

"Shut up!" a guard shouted. They soon left, and I tried to find a way to see who was next to me. The cells were separated by thick, brick walls, and there was no space for me look around it. I heard someone mumbling something under their breath.

Trying to catch their words, I pressed my ear against the wall. There was a loud crunching and scraping as one loose brick fell out. I peered through the hole-and gasped. The other inmate seemed just as surprised to see me as well, and just as disappointed.

"David," I growled.

The pirate, who still wore his stolen Assassin's robes, sneered. "You again."

"Where is Grace?" I demanded. "How did you get here?"

"Grace...I don't know." He looked down, suddenly seeming pitiful. "She never wanted to be what I wanted her to be. I thought she would be a loyal shipmate. But I was wrong. Mutiny, it was. She soon had the crew under her command...but then he came."

My eyes widened. "Who?"

The German shepherd-golden retriever mix began to tremble. "I thought it was just a legend. Just a pup's tale."

"Who?"

"He seemed to appear from nowhere. Out of the mist. As if our very nightmares had come true. As if hell had opened its gates and released its greatest monster upon us."

"Goodness gracious," said Callaway. "He's a looney!"

"Who was it?!"

David's brown eyes met mine. He gulped, struggling to speak, as if saying the very name would mean certain death. "...Raymond Lormac."

Callaway paused, suddenly serious. My tail drooped.

"He lives," I whispered.

/

**Cliff hanger! Er...sort of. Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you think! Comments, questions, suggestions, pie recipes, whatever! See you next time!**

**-Darou**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! This is the last update this week, so I hope you like it! Next week will probably be the last time I update three chapters at a time, and I won't update as often simply because only chapters 1-27 were prewritten. For those of you who want to hang out with me or whatever outside of FF, you can contact me on Google+ by my username, which is the same one I use here. It shouldn't be hard to find me, I'm everywhere. xD I also upload art and funny videos there!**

**Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am writing this fanfiction with her permission. The cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my permission. Enjoy!**

**/**

Chapter 23

"Raymond, who?" asked Callaway.

"Raymond Lormac, you idiot!" David yelled.

"Hey!" I snapped.

He looked up.

"Leave him out of this! Now, tell me what happened."

David's whiskers quivered nervously. He sat back against the wall and hugged his knees to his chest like a frightened child. A child who was also a murderer and a drunk. "We saw a ship, larger than our own. The Forrigan. It was like he knew we were coming. They blew my vessel and my crew to bits. Then they boarded my ship-without my permission-and they took no prisoners. Everyone was dead in minutes." His look hardened. "Grace escaped unharmed, that selfish wench. She didn't help any of us, and she took my gold. If I see her again, I'm going to slit her throat without a second thought!" Everyone was quiet for a moment, then David stared at me. "What a strange necklace." He stood and walked up to the wall that separated us(which he'd better be thankful for). "Is it real gold?"

I growled and covered the amulet with a blue paw.

His smile faded. "Ah. I see. Where did you get it?"

"A friend."

He cocked his head to the side. "You know, I think I've read about something like that before."

Callaway cackled, startling us both. "You read?!" He threw his black head back with wild laughter.

"As I was saying," the pirate muttered, "I could've sworn I've seen a drawing of it."

"What did the book say about it?" I asked, suddenly eager.

He shrugged. "I can't read very well."

"Ha! I knew it!"

"Shut up, Callaway!" I shouted.

He blew a raspberry and giggled. Something was wrong about that dog.

"Why do you ask?" the pirate inquired.

"nothing," I replied glumly.

I sighed and sat down, no longer willing to talk with anyone. I've lost Opal. I've lost Rosco. I've lost my family. I've lost my dignity. The only thing I had that I could still hold in my hands was the amulet. This stupid, useless amulet, and I didn't even know what the hell it was or where it came from or why I had it.

So many thoughts ran through my head right then. I remembered the dream I had on the boat. The strange white fox, her celestial voice, the white nothingness. I remembered what she said:

"Return it to its home, and all will be revealed."

Just then I realized how tired I was. The pain in my leg had subsided, and I didn't think it was bleeding anymore. I closed my eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.

**/ / / /**

It was an endless meadow, a field of tall, green grass dotted with wildflowers. The sun was high in the bright blue sky as I breathed in the fresh spring air. It was so peaceful here. The pain in my leg was completely gone, and I no longer felt hungry or tired or dehydrated. 'I've had this dream before,' I thought.

It all seemed so familiar, yet so alien. A glinting light from nearby burned my eyes. I walked towards it. In the grass, was the amulet, the wolf's golden eyes beckoning me. Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed it in my paw. Just like before, everything around me, the meadow, the blue sky, the butterflies, the singing birds. They all vanished, and I was left in an empty, hollow nothingness.

But it wasn't like before. It wasn't bright and heavenly, with whispers that spoke encouraging words. The sky above turned dark, blood red, and the cheerful meadow became a plain of rubble littered with lifeless, rotting corpses. It was as if I were standing in a battle field, observing the results of endless death. Among them, there was my family. My parents and my brother and sister, their eyes wide open and empty, their jaws agape in a frozen scream. There was Opal and Rosco, sprawled on the dry earth like they had died suffering, trying to drag their bodies to safety. The butterflies that once danced in the wind as their wings shimmered in the sun transformed into black, buzzing flies, and the beautiful song birds became ugly, cawing ravens that circled in the sky. In the distance, fog and fire and shadows loomed, like they were waiting to engulf me at any moment.

I sobbed. "What is this?"

"This is the future, my dear," said a familiar voice. It was the white fox, wrapped in snowy-white linens. She seemed to glow a heavenly gold, standing out as something so beautiful in a scene that was so horrible.

"What do you mean?" I whimpered. "This can't happen! It just can't!"

"If you continue on your current path," said the vixen, her voice echoing softly, "This is what will come to pass."

"But I have to stop this! I don't want this to be the future!"

"Then you must heed my words." She stepped forward, the patch of ground she stood on beginning to sprout flowers and green grass. "The amulet. You must return it to its rightful place. You must return it to its master. Then all will be revealed. Choose to walk in the light alone, or in the dark, hand in hand with a dear friend. The Hellhound is a gift as it is a burden. It will give you freedom, and it will give you power." Her voice faded away as she did herself. "You must choose, or this is the future."

Soon she was gone. I was left alone in the futuristic hell. Then the earth began to shake, black clouds swirling in the sky. Suddenly, the ground began to churn as undead corpses, friends, family, complete strangers, clawed their way through the surface with skeletal fingers. They were everywhere, and they turned to me with lifeless eyes, or no eyes at all, crawling towards me as they moaned and snarled.

"Pufftail, you have betrayed us all," they said in unison. "You must pay the price for your mistake!" They crowded around me, blocking any escape. "You must pay for our suffering!"

I grabbed for a weapon, then realized I was completely unarmed. I looked down and saw in utter horror that my own body was a carcass. I brought my paws toward my face and watched as the blue fur deteriorated and my fingers rotted away until they were only bones.

The undead army closed in as their rotten stench caused me to gag and retch. They reached out towards me, readying to tear me apart.

**/ / / /**

I screamed awake, startling David and Callaway.

A low moan came from the cell next to me. I shrieked and leapt to my feet, expecting to see another walking corpse, but it was only David.

"What the hell?" He slurred as he rubbed his eyes.

"I'm trying to sleep over here!" Callaway snapped. "What was that all about?!"

"S-sorry," I stammered, still a bit shaken from the awful nightmare.

David sighed. "Seriously, woman. Now I can't go back to sleep."

"I said I'm sorry!"

He jumped, taken aback by my sudden outburst.

"Why would you do that?" Callaway demanded.

I gulped. "It was just a dream." Then I whispered to myself, "For now."

/

**That's a wrap for this week! Thank you all very much for reading! Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you think. I can't read your mind, so you'll probably have to tell me. Comments, questions, suggestions, pie recipes, whatever! See you next week!(maybe)**

**-Darou**


	24. Chapter 24

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! So, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that this will be the last time that I update the story with a large amount of chapters in a small amount of time. Everything previous of the next three chapters was pre-written, and I'm catching up to the most recently written chapter. The good news is, that means that I'm not able to accept cameo requests. If you have no idea what the hell I'm talking about, you can PM me.**

**Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am writing this fanfiction with her permission. The cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my permission. Enjoy!**

**Cameo's in this chapter:**

**Callaway-Bunsif**

**David-Darksoundsartist the furry shepherd**

/ / /

Chapter 24

/ / /

We jumped when the door to the hallway banged open. I heard footsteps echoing off the walls, and soon a guard stood outside my cell. He glared.

"You screamed?"  
"It's none of your business."

"Oh, but it is," he sneered, "You see, this is MY prison, so EVERYTHING is my business."

I spat, and he gasped in shock, then pulled out the keys and opened my cell door. I shrunk back as he stormed in. The guard paused for a moment, looking at the necklace around my neck. Suddenly, there was a weird look on his face as he stared. His eyes seemed to fog over, his expression blank and zombie-like.

"Leave me alone!" I shouted.

The guard just stood there for a moment, and I was caught by surprise when he did as told. That's right, you filthy feline! You know you're no match for me! The cat walked-well, stumbled-out of the cell. He was far away enough that I could probably escape.

Without a second thought, I dashed out the door and ran down the hall, then tried the door at the end. It was locked, which meant I'd have to get the keys from guard...and I was unarmed.

I sighed and turned.

The guard just stood in the hallway, looking at me with the same blank look. Slowly, I stalked toward him until I only stood a few feet away. He didn't move, he didn't even blink. Was he one of those people who fall asleep standing up or something? Except, you know...with his eyes wide open? I watched him closely, then started to reach for the keys in his hand. When nothing happened, I quickly snatched the keys out of his hands and jumped back, expecting him to react. But he didn't move.

"Get out of here!" I yelled.

Slowly but surely, he began to walk past me and stopped in front of the locked door. Strange. Did he just...obey me? It was definitely some kind of trick.

I gently touched the amulet with my finger. Something just didn't seem right about this...Hellhound? Is that what the odd vixen in my dream called it? That name didn't sound very promising. Of course, it was a stupid dream, and there isn't a single prison guard in the world that would obey a prisoner.

"Hey, you're not leaving us here, are you?" Callaway called.

I can't believe I forgot them! I unlocked Callaway's cell door, nodding when he thanked me, but paused in front of David's.

"Well?" he demanded. "What are you waiting for? Let me out!"

"...I don't think so."

"What?!"

"Well, you're a criminal, and a pirate...I think you kind of deserve to stay here."

He glared. "I thought Assassins stood for freedom."

"And justice," I snapped.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Look, I'll give you anything if you let me out of here. Money, a ship, a crewmate, information, money. Anything."

I thought for a moment, ignoring the fact that he said money twice. "I'm going to need a ship. And a crew. They need to be at the docks in three days."

"Alright! Good, good! Now release me!"

"That's not it."

"What?! What do you want?!"

I reached in through the bars and grabbed the front of his shirt, making him yelp as I yanked him forward. "Tell me where the river leads."

/ / / /

It had rained the day before, and so the tree bark was slightly more difficult to grip. I leaped from tree to tree, finding it faster than traveling on the slippery, muddy forest floor. It was tiring, but I soon heard the sound of rushing water.

A refreshing sense of hope flourished in me as I gained speed. Suddenly, I slipped.

The next thing I knew, I was freefalling, grasping for anything to break my fall in vain. I fell with a shriek as my back met the ground with painful impact.

"Oooww…." I slowly got to my feet, rubbing my back where it hurt.

Hopefully, it wouldn't bruise.

My complaints diminished when I heard a small voice that wasn't my own.

It was so quiet that for a second, I thought it was my imagination. My ears flicked backward when the sound came, once again, from somewhere behind me.

I turned. "Hello?" No answer. I began to walk forward. "Is someone there?"

This time it was a pitiful, high-pitched whine. My walk turned into a run as a small mound of dirt came into view. I stopped and looked over it to find a large hole that went on deep into the ground.

Cautiously, I leaned over it, trying to get a better look. It was pitch black, and another whimper echoed inside. I gave a sharp bark in response, and the whimpering stopped.

There was a rustling sound that came down underneath the den's entrance, followed by another bark.

"Who's there?" I called.

"...Pufftail?" came a familiar voice.

I gasped. "Rosco! What are you doing down there?"

"Hiding, of course."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, come here. I'll pull you up."

"I can do it myself."

Yeah. Sure he can. I could tell by the darkness that the hole was quite deep, and the edges were steep enough to be difficult to climb, if not impossible.

He struggled for a few minutes, then finally gave up. "I need help."

I quickly reached down as far as I could until my paw disappeared in the darkness.

I looked up to see that the sun was already going down. Soon the night watch would be patrolling the area, and we were far from the safety of the city.

"Hurry!" I called down.

"I'm trying!" he snapped.

Soon his paw grasped mine. I grunted with disgust. It was warm...and wet?

I had to hold on with both of my hands as I tried to pull him up with all my might.

"You're a lot heavier than you look," I said as he made it to the edge of the den's entrance and dragged himself out the rest of the way.

As he did, I noticed his right foot was just barely lifted off the ground, as if Rosco was doing all he could not to put weight on it.

"Your paws are wet," I observed.

I looked down, and saw that they were stained red. Even worse, blood and pus was oozing down his leg.

"Oh, my God!" I exclaimed as I grabbed his arm.

"What?"

"You're bleeding!"

He looked down at the leg I pointed at. "Huh. Would you look at that?" he said dismissively.

"Rosco, we need to get you to a doctor!"

"I don't need a doctor."

"Yes, you do! You'll bleed out!"

"I said, I don't need a"-

He paused as he wobbled slightly, his eyelids fluttering, then fell over. I cried out as I reached down and caught his arms before he fell to the ground.

"A...a doctor," he moaned. "...feeling...dizzy…."

Oh, no. He'd already lost too much blood. I looked around frantically, although I already knew that no one was going to be out in the middle of the woods, let alone at this time of night.

Then I remembered that the river was nearby. I started to drag him in the direction of the sound of the stream, then stopped.

There were voices coming from a ways away, and the light of torches scoured the area. The night watch.

/ / /

**Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it! Go ahead and leave a review/PM and tell me what you think. Comments, questions, suggestions, pie recipes, whatever! No flames, please, although constructive criticism is appreciated.**

**-Darou**


	25. Chapter 25

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! I won't even bother writing an author's note, you probably already know what I'm going to say. Oh, and I FINALLY added a chapter to my Doctor Who fanfiction, if you'd like to check that out later.**

**Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am writing this fanfiction with her permission. The cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my permission. Enjoy!**

**/ / /**

Chapter 25

/ / /

I froze in terror. With Rosco injured, I couldn't leave him here, and I wasn't sure if I could fight off the entire night watch.

"Show yourself!" said a voice as they approached.

I whimpered in defeat.

The sound of footsteps came closer, until...a single gray Norwegian cat stood there, torch in hand. "What are you doing out here? This area is off limits!" he paused when he recognized our robes and weapons. "Assassins!" He cried.

Thinking fast, I snatched Rosco's flintlock and aimed it at the guard.

"Hey, that's mine!"

"Shut up!"

The cat flinched, then grabbed his rifle. He pulled the trigger, yet nothing happened. He whimpered and tried to reload. "Damn it! I knew I should've gotten the upgrade!"

"Put your rifle down!" I ordered.

The guard stared at us with sheer terror, then slowly dropped the gun on the ground and kicked it away. "W-what are you going to do with me?"

I studied him for a moment. I've seen him before. When Rosco and I first arrived here, he was the guard who ran from me, begging for mercy.

"I suggest you leave. Say a word of this, and you'll be sorry!"

The guard nodded and turned to leave, shivering all over.

I noticed that Rosco was barely breathing as he leaned against a tree, his leg laying limp and useless. I don't think I've ever seen him look so weak before.

"Wait!"

The cat turned around with his ears held back, expecting to be shot in the face at any moment.

"My partner," I motioned to the dog next to me, "He needs medical help. Desperately."

"Well, what do you expect me to do?"

"Help him!" I shouted.

"But I can't. If the force finds out, I'll be fired. Or executed!"

I glared as I cocked the gun. "Than you'd better hope you get it done quickly. Or else I'll do the executing."

He whimpered. "But...what do I do?"

"There's a river nearby. Fix his wound."

At the river bank, he cleaned and covered Rosco's wound, at gunpoint the entire time.

It was much worse than I'd expected. The leg was scraped badly, most likely from the rocks at the bottom of the lake, and some burns from the explosion. It was a wonder how he made it this far.

"How do we prevent infection?"

The cat turned to me. "Weren't you trained for these kinds of things?"

I looked away meekly. "I wasn't the best student. Now, answer my question."

"I-I know a doctor who lives at the edge of the city. He sells remedies that are hard to find elsewhere."

"These remedies...do you know how to use them?"

"Yes, but"-

He gave a startled shriek when I shoved the flintlock at his muzzle.

"Take us to him. Now."

"But it's a far ways away. It'll be dawn before we reach him."

I snarled as I grabbed him by the arm and yanked him to his feet. "Start walking."

**/ / / /**

Indeed, it was a few hours before the city came up ahead. The sun was rising, and it was getting warmer. The guard led us towards the building in which this 'doctor' lived, avoiding the city in case someone noticed that I was holding a gun at the cat's head.

When we got to the building, we noticed it was quite a ways from the town itself. Shrouded in trees and brush, it was hardly visible.

The cat walked up and knocked on the door.

"Coming!" Called a voice from inside.

The door opened to reveal a raccoon. He gave us a curious look.

"Poof? What are you doing here?"

I turned to the cat. "Poof? That's your name?!"

The guard glared, then led us inside.

"This Assassin is injured."

The raccoon's ears perked up. "Assassin?!" he shrieked. "Get him out of here! Now! If the force finds out, I'll be executed!"

"Relax, I'm not telling the captain," said the cat who was allegedly named Poof.

Honestly, what kind of name is that?

The raccoon sighed. "Alright, what do you need?"

"Whatever remedy you use to prevent infection. What else?"

The doctor rolled his eyes as he grabbed a small bottle off a shelf. It was filled with a dark green liquid. He paused and glanced at the label, then laughed. "Oh, sorry. This is iocane."

"What kind of doctor uses iocane?!" I said in disbelief.

He shrugged. "I like my casserole spicy."

"That's disturbing," Rosco grumbled.

Even when he was close to death, he was a total jerk.

The doctor continued to rummage through some drawers until he finally grabbed a larger bottle, this one with yellow liquid, and walked over toward us. He uncovered Rosco's wound and took the cap off the bottle. "This might sting a little."

Rosco scoffed. "I've been through much more pain than any of your measly patients. I doubt I'll feel a th"-

His sentence was cut short when he cried out as the liquid poured over the gash. Rosco thrashed out, kicking the doctor in the gut. The raccoon doubled over in pain as I tried to hold my partner down.

"Rosco, it's alright! Calm down!"

"Keep him still!"

"No way!" Rosco snarled. "You're a psycho!"

"Well, that's not very nice."

"Stay still!" I yelled.

The doctor went back to tending to his wound, and the dog reacted even more violently this time, desperately trying to escape.

The raccoon looked at me. "You need to distract him."

I thought quickly, not knowing what to do. Rosco was still thrashing about, making it difficult to fix his injury. Poof stood in the corner, his eyes wide as saucers and the fur on his tail standing straight up. Unable to think of any better option, I grabbed Rosco's head with both hands, yanked him towards me, and kissed him.

Immediately, he stilled. The doctor looked at me when he finished.

"I don't think I've ever thought of that before," he said.

/ / /

**Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave a review/PM and let me know what you think so far. Comments, questions, suggestions, pie recipes, whatever! No flames please, although constructive criticism is appreciated.**

**-Darou**


	26. Chapter 26

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! Once this chapter is up, it might be a while until I update again, just letting you know. School is on its way, so I won't get to update as often. Sorry about that.**

**Assassin's Creed and the character Pufftail do not belong to me. Pufftail belongs to my friend Jontaea, and I am writing this fanfiction with her permission. The cameo characters belong to their rightful owners. Rosco was designed by and belongs to me. Please do not use this story or its characters without my permission. Enjoy!**

**Thanks to Apirl Roise for creating the idea for Poof's character.**

Chapter 26

**/ / /**

We sat like that for a long while, and finally my lips parted from Rosco's. He stared at me blankly, never blinking. Slowly, I gave a meek smile. He just kept staring, then looked away.

"Thank you, doctor."

The raccoon seemed to wake up from a trance and grinned broadly. I frowned.

It was like Rosco had no emotion at all, like he didn't even know what had just happened. Or, at the very least, that he didn't care. Normally I wouldn't have minded. I admit I've kissed a few others my age when I was little, just as a sort of experiment. They never cared, and neither did I. But with Rosco, when he didn't seem to be affected the way I was, it hurt. I didn't understand why.

The other day, he had told me he'd loved me. Had he meant it? Or was he just as confused as I was? Perhaps he doesn't really feel anything for me. For a moment, the thought seemed to be a relief. But I also felt disappointed, deep down.

I mentally shook myself. This was no time for worrying about our feelings for each other, whether they mattered or not. I needed to focus on the mission.

**/ / / /**

The cat twitched nervously as we stood outside the building.

"What should we do with him?" Asked Rosco.

"He won't tell the force, we should just leave him."

He glared at me. "You can't trust a cat, Pufftail. It was one of his kind who murdered Opal, remember?"

I whipped around and snarled, taking Rosco by surprise. "I told you not to bring that up, you mutt! And you know we can't just kill him. He's done nothing wrong as far as I can tell. He's just a guard, not a Templar."

The dog turned towards Poof. "I wouldn't be so sure."

The feline trembled all over. "I-I don't even know what a Templar is!" He cried. "I swear! Just let me go, I won't tell anyone you were here!"

"You're right, you won't," Rosco growled. "Because you're coming with us."

Poof's eyes widened in horror. "What?! What do you mean?!"

"We're taking you hostage."

The cat and I must have had the exact same look on our faces.

"Oh, please just kill me now!"

"Rosco, we don't need the extra weight. We have more important things to worry about, especially with Raymond Lormac nearby."

"Raymond Lormac?!" the cat cried. "Are you serious?! Nevermind that. I'm not going anywhere with you."

"I don't think you have much of a choice," growled Rosco.

"But we don't even know if he's a Templar! Rosco, this is kidnapping!"

He rolled his eyes. "Did you ever check?"

I thought for a moment, realizing my mistake, and looked away. "...No."

He sighed and walked up to Poof, who cowered down, putting his arm up to shield his throat.

"Let me see your necklace."

The feline's eyes flicked to me and back to Rosco. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

The dog snarled and snatched the front of the guard's shirt, then tore out a chain necklace attached to a red cross. He dropped the cat, who curled up on the ground and whimpered pitifully, probably sucking his thumb. He turned to me, the cross glinting in the moonlight.

"Now, didn't I tell you?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, you were right," I grumbled irritably. "He's a Templar."

He walked up to me. "And?"

"And...we have to keep him hostage."

"Indeed. He has important information."

"What information?" Poof asked as he stood. "I'm a low-ranking member. A grunt. I hardly receive any information for the Order."

"You're not even a grunt," Rosco growled. "You're a messenger. Which means you have plenty of information, receiving and retrieving all the messages sent to the leaders of your Order."

"But I'm not allowed to read the letters! I just deliver them!"

"I'm not allowed to be taking Templars prisoner without permission of the leaders of the Brotherhood," countered Rosco, "And look at me now."

Poof sighed. "Alright. I've read a few of the letters. But just a few! I swear!"

Rosco and I exchanged glances. "That's all we need," he said.

**/ / / /**

"How many days until the ship arrives?"

"Two more, I believe."

We sat atop a stout food market building, waiting for it to close so we could sneak inside and steal any supplies we could.

My partner sighed. "Well, that gives us plenty of time to do some interrogation."

I gasped. "You wouldn't! We promised not to hurt him!"

Rosco glared. "Pufftail, who was it that said that?"

"Me."

"Did I agree to anything you said?"

"No."

He huffed and sat back against an empty wooden box. Poof sat a ways away, his paws tied behind his back connected to a lead rope that was wrapped around Rosco's wrist.

"Jeez, you two argue like you're a married couple." He laughed, then glanced at us. "Are you…you know...?"

"Not at all," Rosco replied harshly.

"So you're just companions, then?"

"We're not companions, either," I snapped, glaring at the dog.

The guard obviously took that differently. He gave a wry smile. "Oh. I see."

Rosco sighed angrily. "That's not what she meant, fleabag."

We were quiet for a long while after that. The foolish Templar finally shut up.

"Perhaps he knows where Raymond is," I said, breaking the silence. "I mean, if he's hiding out somewhere in France, we should try to find him."

"Not alone, we can't."

I looked over at the other Assassin. "Why not?"

He gave me a sadistic look. "Are you serious? Ray Lormac is a mad man. He probably has his own militia. If we want to stop him, we'll need all the help we can get."

I scoffed. "Good luck with that."

/ / /

**Sorry about the short chapter, guys. Later on, I'll try writing longer chapters if you want. Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave a review/PM and let me know what you think! Comments, questions, suggestions, casserole recipes, whatever! No flames, please, although constructive criticism is appreciated. Until next time!**

**-Darou**


	27. Story update

**Hey, everybody! Darou here! So, I have some good news and some bad news for yall. The bad news is that I don't think I'm going to continue this story. Please read this whole message before you say anything. My friend Jontaea-the owner of the character Pufftail, and the person who I made this story as a gift for-has been offline for a very long time. I haven't heard from her since February this year. And even though she gave me permission to use her character, without her around...I don't know, it just doesn't feel right. So until I hear from her-if I ever do-and she says it's okay, I will continue this story. Meanwhile, I'm going to keep it on hold. This doesn't mean that I'm done writing this for certain, but that it's a possibility. I'm really sorry, guys, I know a few of you were looking forward to new chapters. However, there is good news-I will continue working on my Doctor Who fanfiction, and I also have a few more on the way! Hopefully you won't hate me for this. Again, I'm very sorry. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my other stories!**

-Darou


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